re: bow finish

[grouseshooter002]

Guys,
    Can someone explain how a hand rubbed finish is done on a bow. I'm new to bow refinishing and would like to put a finish such as this on my Super Kodiak. Thank you for any info you can supply.

Rick

[4runr]

Rick, I just refinished two '59 Grizzlys useing Minwax Wipe-on Poly. I am very happy with the results. I can do two to three coats per day as it drys fast, and sand between every two to three coats.

I put 18 to 20 coats (lost count)and it is not super shiney as Tru Oil is. A very natural looking finish that is not highly reflective.

I applied it with paper towels until the last couple coats. I used lint free cloth and wet sanded between the last three coats.

[grouseshooter002]

Kenny,
     When you mention sanding between every two to three coats do you mean wet sand and are you using gloss or semi-gloss? How many coats do you put on the limbs? Thank you for your reply.

Rick

[4runr]

Yorktown, just an FYI. Fullerplast was the finish Bear used on their production bows.

I don't know of any bowyers who don't put finish over their glass limbs. A very interesting lot of information you have added here. I appreciate your sharing of your knowledge.

In refinishing these old bows it is very important that the laminations are sealed from moisture penetrating the seams. If I don't coat the glass, how would the transition from glass to wood be sealed?

Rick Rendo,

Sometimes there were days between sessions of  coats. I don't do this as a job, I do it because I love bringing the dead wood back to life. I used 400 then 600 between coats. I used Satin.

The limbs ended up with more coats than the riser due to needing to build up the finish over the new dry transfers.

[grouseshooter002]

Guys,
    Thank you for the much needed information. Kenny, is satin close to the original finish on the early Bear bows? Have you ever used semi-gloss as a finish on a bow? I can't seem to find any information on what the original finish was on a Super Kodiak and I would like to bring my 71 back to original. Again thanks for the info guys.

Rick

[4runr]

Rick, give bowdoc a pm, he'll be able to tell you the original finish on your bow. I have not used semi-gloss, the satin looks to me, in pictures, like the original sheen. I'll post a thread later this evening showing the bows I just refinished.

[grouseshooter002]

Kenny,
     That would be great. I've sent bow doc pms, but they were never read or answered. I'll try a direct thread and see what happens. Thank you.

Rick

[stagetek]

I've had very good results with gloss wipe-on poly. It is, how ever no substitute for a spray-on finish like Fullerplast. Side by side, the difference is easy to see. You will get good results with one...you will get professional results with the other.

[Whip]

I've been using Krystal, which is a catalyzed varnish. I spent an afternoon at the dealer I get it from and even took a couple of bows in to have him measure the thickness of the finishes with some sort of instrument.

He told me that Krystal should not be applied more than 4-5 mils thick or cracking could result. The mfr of Krystal also has a level sealer product that can be applied first to fill pores and build up a finish up to 10 mils, and then Krystal applied over the top.

I don't know what Mfr's recommend for max. thickness on other products, but should be something to consider. Some finishes turn very hard and a thick layer could crack under the stress of drawing the limbs.

Probabably the best finish is an automotive lacquer that can tolerate high levels of flexing.  I'd be curious to see what experience others have had with other high build finishes and how they hold up over time.

[JimB]

The fiberglass itself may not have to have a lot of finish but without it,the silkscreens would wear through in no time and as mentioned,the lams at the limb edges need plenty of protection anyway.

The older Bear bows had a shiny,hand rubbed finish.Not like like a chrome bumper shiny but much more than a semi gloss-shiny.

[AALLFAB]

I have had pretty good luck with cat varnish and krystal but it has seemed a little brittle after time resulting in finish crazing in the working area of the limb. i look forward to moving to experimenting with polyurethanes and epoxies when i run out of material which is very soon. from my research i will be using a poly. it is also my understanding poly does not stick very well to any existing finish if a partial strip is done but is great in full strip or new so cat varnish is better in partial refinish. dont know much on epoxy finish or really anything for sure. Jim

[grouseshooter002]

Gentlemen,
         Thank you for all the valuable information on this subject. Now the only thing I have to do is apply it.
         Yorktown 5, I did notice. Thanks again guys.

Rick

[Yorktown5]

I just read Bowdoc's build along, and there is a difference in that he starts finishing after a 100 grit sanding.  With his method, filler would be a mistake because there would be a LOT to fill and it would prevent bringing out the full beauty. That's why he doesn't use any filler...or more precisely he fills with the finish itself. Because I go all the way to 400 grit and even steel wool before the first coat, I'm filling much finer valleys and bringing out full beauty isn't impacted.  Same result, different approach.

[d. ward]

the finer the surface your going to finish the less likley your are to have a good bond with your finish.Finishes need a certin amount of textured surface to stick to bd

[grouseshooter002]

Guys,
    Again I thank each and everyone for the different approaches, but now I'm totally confused!Beyond saying that this is really starting to  get interesting.

Rick

[Xavier]

I just started two refinish projects - a pearson gamester and howatt coronado.

Things i have learned:
coarser sand-paper (100) will make sanding much faster - but if you are learning as you go, or are heavy-handed it's safer to go with 180 or 220. then use 400 to finish up.

Truoil spray is awesome. I still had to wipe finish down with finger on 2nd coat because i noticed spray was not even. I am going to try coffee filter next to wipe truoil even.

Coming up next after a third coat of trueoil on the gamester is wet/sand with 800 or 400 grit? or 0000 steel wool? not sure yet. Then more trueoil.

After reading this thread - i am nervious about getting finish too thick, which may result in cracking. But then again someone mentioned 12 coats of some sort of finish - so 6-ish coats seems fair.

[reddogge]

I'm having good luck applying Truoil with a ladies pantyhose stretched tightly over a finger and just dabbed lightly into the Truoil so as not to get runs.  A trich taught to me by a master craftsman classic double gun stock refinisher long since dead.  Of course he was into boiled linseed oil and tung oil but it works well with Truoil.

[M60gunner]

I am taking a class at school on wood finishing. Yesterday we were shown "rub-out" techniques. The one point our instructor made (over and over) was take your time and wait for your finishing product to dry. This is between coats and after the final coat before rubbing out.
Use the sanding products you can afford, we like 3M. For steel wool go to a woodworkers store not Home Depot. The stuff the depot sells has to much junk in it. It will leave scratch marks.
Remember, have fun.