Finishing osage?

[monterey]

Just in the whiskering process on an osage riser.  This is my first experience with osage and I'm wondering if the osage gurus use a sealant prior to finish?  If so, what's a good sealer for it?

[Bowjunkie]

Nope. Just finish it. I've used a lot of different finishes on it and they all worked fine.

What finish are you using?

[Roy from Pa]

No, I just stain it and seal it with tung oil, or whatever sealer of your choice.

[monterey]

I'm thinking of using minwax wipe on poly.  The oil based stuff.  Thanks for the help.guys.  

[monterey]

Another osage question?

I've read that it darkens with time but how fast is the process?

Reason I ask is because yesterday morning I completed final sanding on a bow with an osage riser.  Today it looks like it has already gotten darker.  Can it happen that fast?

[PEARL DRUMS]

No, it doesn't happen over night. I don't really start to notice it until the bow is around 2 years old, that's when I start to see that caramel color. If you store the bow in a room with a lot of daylight it will happen much faster than storing it in a sleeve or a dark room.

[Roy from Pa]

No not that fast.. Maybe your eyes hadn't focused yet..  

[Forwardhandle]

I think it  depends on the wood to, not all osage is equal
I have 2 bows made 3 years ago fom 2 different trees cut within a month of each other ,1 started getting dark pretty good but the other still a brighter looking yellow I have a 2 year old stave on the wall from another tree & it looks 10
Year old dark all ready the ones that seem to darken quicker are the ones that have the dark brown redish rings when first cut at least in my case !

[monterey]

Originally posted by Roy from Pa:
No not that fast.. Maybe your eyes hadn't focused yet..      

It's always a struggle. Was probably looking through a half gallon of coffee.