The Arbalist Guild

Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.

Crossbows - Everything about Building, Modding, and Using your Crossbow Gear

Latest topics

» 12th Century Chinese Crossbow Chronographed
by stuckinthemud1 Fri Nov 24, 2023 3:50 pm

» Crossbow Stock
by kenh Tue Oct 31, 2023 6:19 am

» Colletiere a Charavines continuing experiment
by stuckinthemud1 Sat Oct 07, 2023 5:36 am

» Cocking - how
by stuckinthemud1 Thu Aug 03, 2023 4:24 am

» Questions around heavy crossbow lath buildin
by stuckinthemud1 Wed Apr 26, 2023 1:10 am

» Arab Crossbow
by stuckinthemud1 Tue Apr 25, 2023 7:57 am

» prod angle, and lever trigger for sale anyone?
by stuckinthemud1 Mon Mar 20, 2023 5:54 am

» flexible string
by jasper1978 Mon Mar 20, 2023 1:25 am

» [solved]Skane/Lillohus crossbow thread
by stuckinthemud1 Sun Mar 19, 2023 7:44 am

» jens sensfelder
by jasper1978 Wed Mar 08, 2023 11:58 pm

» 400lb Windlass crossbow bolts weight and accuracy shooting high.
by stuckinthemud1 Sun Mar 05, 2023 2:53 pm

» Codex Löffelholz crossbow
by stuckinthemud1 Tue Jan 24, 2023 4:14 pm

» Digitar prodsc
by stuckinthemud1 Sun Jan 15, 2023 2:42 pm

» Troubleshooting
by Andy. Fri Jan 06, 2023 12:29 pm

» Wood Prods
by stuckinthemud1 Fri Dec 30, 2022 12:47 pm

» Colletiere a Charavines crossbow
by stuckinthemud1 Fri Dec 30, 2022 8:54 am

» Simplified Löffelhotz speedloader
by stuckinthemud1 Fri Dec 09, 2022 4:05 pm

» Fiberglass H-bows
by c sitas Sat Nov 12, 2022 8:44 am

» Bad Antler
by drawknife Sat Nov 12, 2022 3:48 am

» Anyone make their own bolts?
by Juniper Mon Oct 17, 2022 8:20 am

» Josef alm in English
by Juniper Sat Oct 15, 2022 4:22 am

» Qin/Han lock drawings
by kenh Fri Sep 23, 2022 8:16 pm

» stirrup dimensions?
by stuckinthemud1 Thu Sep 01, 2022 1:49 pm

» Skane/Lillohus lockbow information needed
by stuckinthemud1 Sun Aug 14, 2022 6:23 am

» need help contacting le musee Dauphinois Grenoble
by stuckinthemud1 Sat Aug 13, 2022 3:22 pm


4 posters

    what finish would look historically correct?

    Todd the archer
    Todd the archer
    Crossbow Junkie

    I live here!


    Crossbow JunkieI live here!


    Posts : 581
    Join date : 2010-02-25
    Age : 61
    Location : sellersville,pa.

    what finish would look historically correct? Empty what finish would look historically correct?

    Post by Todd the archer Mon May 24, 2010 8:00 pm

    What currently available and easy to use finish would you use to give a historically correct look?
    Tung oil perhaps?

    Thanks in advance, Todd
    Geezer
    Geezer
    Master Crossbowyer
    Master Crossbowyer


    Posts : 1194
    Join date : 2010-01-12
    Age : 76
    Location : Austin, Texas, USA

    what finish would look historically correct? Empty Period finish?

    Post by Geezer Mon May 24, 2010 9:34 pm

    What's best for a period finish? That's a bit hard to say. The Maximilian I bows at the Kunsthistoriches Museum in Vienna are a dark red with gold lettering. I suspect it's a red lacquer.
    Many bows are just dark wood now and it's hard to tell what they were made with. Some bows, like the Fels Colonna Bow in the Wallace Collection (London) are covered in bone plaques. That doesn't help much either.
    I prefer to give my bows a coat of linseed oil to bring out the color. Then wait a couple of days, buff with some very fine steel wool, and rub in a coat of tung-oil. Let that soak in a day or two, buff again and give it another coat of tung oil. If you stop after two or three coats, you'll have a nice, natural looking finish. Add another coat and the tung oil will start getting a bit glossy. If you do 5 or 6 coats, the finish will go very bright and glossy indeed. If you look at the Ulrich V bow in the Metropolitan Museum (New York) you'll notice the finish is surprisingly glossy after 500 years. It was probably brighter when new @ 1460.
    I prefer a flatter finish for my projects, while my apprentice, Lightly, likes 'em glossy. What's best 'period' practice? I really don't know, but 2 or 3 coats of tung oil certainly looks nice and it keeps the wood clean and fresh looking for a long time. Geezer
    Todd the archer
    Todd the archer
    Crossbow Junkie

    I live here!


    Crossbow JunkieI live here!


    Posts : 581
    Join date : 2010-02-25
    Age : 61
    Location : sellersville,pa.

    what finish would look historically correct? Empty Thanks

    Post by Todd the archer Tue May 25, 2010 3:15 am

    I will probally use 2 to 3 coats of tung oil as the crossbow I am starting on will be used for hunting. With that being said less shine is better for hunting as a shiny glare can catch the eye of the game being hunted and be spooked.

    Todd
    Regerald
    Regerald
    Master Crossbowyer
    Master Crossbowyer


    Posts : 67
    Join date : 2009-11-30
    Age : 38
    Location : Finland

    what finish would look historically correct? Empty Re: what finish would look historically correct?

    Post by Regerald Tue May 25, 2010 11:29 am

    Personally, I would use bees wax, diluted in a natural turpentine. As sources say, this was used for wood finishing for centuries..
    Geezer
    Geezer
    Master Crossbowyer
    Master Crossbowyer


    Posts : 1194
    Join date : 2010-01-12
    Age : 76
    Location : Austin, Texas, USA

    what finish would look historically correct? Empty historical finish

    Post by Geezer Wed May 26, 2010 6:49 am

    Dohhh! I should have mentioned beeswax. A little research on the web should turn up some other traditional finishes, but beeswax in turpentine is a good one. DRW
    Lightly
    Lightly
    Master Crossbowyer
    Master Crossbowyer


    Posts : 199
    Join date : 2010-01-12
    Age : 64
    Location : Austin, Tx

    what finish would look historically correct? Empty Re: what finish would look historically correct?

    Post by Lightly Sat Jun 19, 2010 11:25 am

    Dear Master!

    I actually want to try the beeswax and turp! In our copious spare time... We have some beeswax in the shop and I have a friend who keeps bees, did we need more..

    Uh, I promise to finish the Hungarian bow, the Danish bow, and the Curtis bow first.


    Maybe.


    heh!

    Love;
    Lightly.
    Geezer
    Geezer
    Master Crossbowyer
    Master Crossbowyer


    Posts : 1194
    Join date : 2010-01-12
    Age : 76
    Location : Austin, Texas, USA

    what finish would look historically correct? Empty beeswax finish

    Post by Geezer Fri Jun 25, 2010 9:24 am

    I thought you guys might like to know Lightly and Silly Person have begun experimenting with the bee's wax/turpentine/linseed-oil finish. So far it show great promise. We'll see how it looks after several coats, and of course it will take a while to find out how it wears. Geezer.

    Sponsored content


    what finish would look historically correct? Empty Re: what finish would look historically correct?

    Post by Sponsored content


      Current date/time is Tue Mar 19, 2024 4:02 am