Trouble with arrow finish

[Arraflinger]

About a year ago I made up a couple dozen footed arrows . The finish I used was Bohning Fletch Lac, which is the same finish I've been using for the last 40 years. Initially the arrows looked fine but over the course of a year the finish began to darken to the point of looking stained dark. I should add that only the arrows exposed to light turned dark and only on one side ,the side exposed to light. In the picture below the bottom 3 arrows were exposed to light for a year. the top arrow was made at the same time but was kept in an arrow box                                                            In the next photo you can see a round spot in the finish-- that's from the arrow gripper on the quiver. The gripper shielded the finish from light in that spot  In all my years of arrow making I have never had this happen using the Bohning finishes. Has this happened to anyone else? Any suggestions??     Thanks ,Wayne

[rraming]

as a wood flooring guy I know wood ambers alot due to sunlight, I assume the bottom of a floor is in it's "original" condition. Too bad, pretty arrows - they still shoot the same.

[Charlie Lamb]

Yep. I doubt it's the finish. More than likely the wood underneath.
Is it a different wood type than you usually use?

[Jim Curlee]

All finishs yellow with age, air, and sunlight, are the reason.
I use polyurethanes, and they yellow over time.
Ever seen an osage selfbow, when you make them, they are bright yellow, after a few monthe they are already turning dark?
Jim

[Killdeer]

Aesthetically, I like the aged arrows. They have a warmth and substance that the "new" arrow lacks.

I bought a Morrison Cheyenne, Macassar ebony and Bocote. I thought it a tad contrasty, though everybody who saw it said it was a real wowser. Now, the Bocote has aged, mellowed, and lives a bit more harmoniously with the ebony. I am happy. If you are not, I think your arrows would go admirably with my Cheyenne...

Killdeer   :D    

[wapiti]

Lacquer yellows very little. Solvent based poly yellows considerably. Water borne poly yellows slightly. Water based poly is the clearest at application without any "deepening" of the wood grain. Solvent based poly penetrates and shows wood grain and texture well. Bohning lacquers are the most durable from wear being designed for the purpose of arrow building.

[Mike Most]

I am in agreement, I also like the aged look,

 I know my bacote riser has that aged look,
(after two years)
 but other than than I have not had the arrow issue similar to what you show above.    

Mike

[Killdeer]

Is that because you break and lose them too fast, like me?

Killdeer  

[Jim Curlee]

I totally disagree with Bohning being the best finish for arrows, it is NOT!
Take a Bohning finished arrow, and an oil based poly, like Minwax Fast drying, arrow.
Stick-em in the ground for a year out in your yard. The feathers, and the finish will fall off the Bohning arrow, long before the year is up.
The poly finished arrows will still have a finish, and the base of the feathers will still be glued to the shaft. This is in a state where wood equalizes at 11 percent, similar to New Jersey.
I have done this a number of times over the last 25 years, always comes out the same. Bohning lacquers suck as an arrow finish.
Automotive lacquers are a different story. They are also not compatible with Bohning.
Try the test yourself, come up with your own conclusions, they will be different in NJ, thgan they are in a dry climate like Montana.
One other thing, if you have a fancy car painted today with the best paints availablle, they will be urethane finish's, not lacquer.
Just my 12 cents worth.
Jim

[jhg]

All finishes do not yellow over time. Some laquers don't, while other laquers do. You need to choose the right one. Solvent based polys yellow a lot.
Also, there are some very advanced water based finishes that highlight wood grain just like solvent based finishes do. Don't settle for a water based finish that does not enhance unless you want that "flat" or plain look. If it does not enhance the wood grain its a formulation that has been eclipsed by many others.

You can find water based finishes now that offer amber tinted coloration, if thats what you like, "water-clear" formulations that never yellow, and formulations that include UV protection in both.
Shop around and read up on the woodworking forums. They are usually very familiar with finishes there.
Finally, there are still a lot of old opinions regarding water based finishes that were formed when they first came out and were not very good. Its been 20 years or more since then and most are as good as, or better than, any solvent finish. Different to work with, yes, but not second fiddle anymore. Worth looking into at any rate.

Joshua, not against sovlent finishes, just happy wih the other.

[Arraflinger]

Jim ,you're right, I've lost arrows and if I  find them weeks later the finish is pretty much shot.
      I've been thinking about using Dalys Pro Fin since this happened. It would be nice Just to eliminate the fumes generating from the lacquer I'm
using. If I use Dalys , what would I use for a crown dip?? Glue??
     If I Don't go with Dalys I may just do as Jim suggests ad try the Min Wax poly.Would I use Duco Cement For fletching??
Thanks,Wayne

[Brian P.]

Dalys will work if you put it over Bohning paints. I do it all the time.

 I generally dip in Bohning clear just to give myself a good smooth base for dips and cresting (with Bohning paints). I finish it off with 2 coats of Dalys.

 The Dalys doesnt have near the target burn as Bohning, and holds up well. I have lost arrows in the snow for a month or so and the arrows are fine after the snow melts. One word of warning. Dalys will make a white dip more yellow. If I do a white cap dip, I dip Dalys from the point end up to my cap dip for the first dip, then dip the entire shaft for my second dip.

 Fletch using Duco cement.

BP

[hawk4570]

I have a osage bow that is 4 years old that did not darken as most do. I barnished it and finished it with boiled linseed oil. most wood left in one position will turn color. I don't know why my bow did not change color. I have one under glass that did

[Bill Carlsen]

I agree with Jim Curlee. I made arrows most of my life. In the early years it was auto lacquer....never lasted long   and tended to flake. Bohning was about the same. The best arrow finish I ever came up with was solvent based Poly....Mixwax high gloss to be exact. When I made arrows commercially I had numerous calls about how to get such a good long lasting finish. Thin it out about 1:3 and dip at least 3 times with steel wool between dips. It was also the best finish to use on the Alaska forgewoods. I shot and missed a buck one season and never found the arrow until the next Fall. All I had to do was replace the fletching and remove the rust from the MagI.