? for cleaning up a bow

[bowkevin]

I bought an old Bear Kodiak Magnum this morning at a flea market. It seems to be in great shape except the string. I did shoot it a few times when I brought it home and it shot fine. It does have some smudges and a few fine scratches nothing major. What is the best thing I can use to clean the wood up a little? As I said all in all it doesnt look too bad.

[bowkevin]

It is the green color by the way.

[Spectre]

A little lemon oil and warm water should work wonders.

[Eric Sprick]

I've used Orange Glo cleaner with real good results also.  I then waxed with Johnson's paste wax.  Did this on the old Bears I used to have.  Worked wonders.

Eric.

[ron w]

If it's not to bad I have just used some lemon Pledge on a rag to clean them up.

[T Lail]

seconds on both the orangeglo and lemon pledge....then seal them with a guitar polish or a good wax....

[portugeejn]

I have used Flitz Polish with good results on old bows.  Says on the package it is good for fiberglass also.

RonP

[Knapper]

Brasso has a very light abrasive in it and it works as a light rubbing compound you can rub and polish light markings and they will rub out and I have never found it to be too aggressive as to take the finish off. I have found it to be the best.  You can then add a coat of paste wax and buff and the bow will look as good as you can get it without refinishing it.

[Steve Chappell]

This is good info...I have a few bows I need to clean up too.

[YORNOC]

Treat it like a car...if its bad, auto rubbing compound, followed by polishing compound then wax.  If not so bad, just polishing. You can get a satin sheen or a super high gloss all depending how hard you rub and polish.
Goof Off will get tape residue off pretty easily.

Everything these guys have said will work also, I just prtefer the car stuff since I have it anyway.

[Whip]

WD-40 cleans off a lot of old crud.  Then clean that off with denatured alchohl.

[oldbohntr]

Treat it like a car....that does work.  But, I've been using different fibreglass boat cleaning products for years with good success.  MacGuiers' (sp?)makes a full line with varying amounts of abrasive, so you can start with oxidation remover, go to color restorer, and end up with a good polish. There are several other formulas in the line,too. I don't think any of these have quite as much abrasive as auto rubbing compound, but I'm not sure it really makes a lot of difference. For some reason, it seemed like a bow finish would respond better to something made for a fibreglass boat.  Lately, I've kinda reduced it to more of a two step process for most bows. Something like color restorer to really cut through the crud and oxidation, and then switch to bowdocs polish.....don't even want to think about him cackling wickedly and stirring a big smoking cauldron of....who knows what.....and then me innocently rubbing it all over my precious bows!  But, if I shut my eyes,and refuse to think too much about it - the stuff works wonders!

[ksbowman]

I agree with Whip, WD40 does wonder about talking off all kinds of junk. Then clean with the alcohol, I use regular old rubbing alcohol.

[Lefty]

WD40 does work good as well as following up with the rubbing alcohol as mentioned above.  After than put a nice coat of johnson's paste wax on it and buff off.  Helps to seal out moisture and really makes it look nice.

[L. E. Carroll]

I have had good results with a spray cleaner, I use wich is non-abrasive and designed for fiberglass shower inclosures.

Arm & Hammer "Clean Shower", if they are pretty bad to the point that the glass is turning color or the old build up is bad... I spay a rag and wipe down. They wipe off with another rag wetted with warm water once or twice [ as a rinse] as the cleaner has a slight "Orange smell" ... I follow this up with coat Johnsons wax.

Gene

[bowkevin]

Thanks for the advice. I'll give it a try and then post pics of the results.