I want to start a bow refinish project but I realized My tru oil has gone chunky.

I’m thinking of using a poly finish instead of and am looking for advice on application procedures compared to tru oil.

Just a little trick someone shared with me for tru oil. Store it upside down with it sitting on its cap. Really helps. Bjrogg

Jamie, Nemah (Richard Korte) uses a Poly on his bows and does and excellent job with the way he apply's it so maybe send him a Pm and I bet he will be kind enough to share! Great guy and makes a great bow as well.

Nemah here. I use Minwax Semigloss poly in a spray can and apply 4-6 LIGHT coats. Spray at 1/2 to 1 hour intervals...LIGHT coats. Allow to dry for THREE days, then check for flaws. Steel wool the problem areas AND the complete bow lightly, tack lightly, then spray on 2 more LIGHT coats. Works for me, but others will have other solutions. Good Luck! Richard

I used tru oil on last project , never could get it right , switched to wipe on poly looked way better , smoother

I like both equally but if you go Tru Oil apply very very thin coats. I have done as many as eight but never less than six. You can try adding some mineral spirits to the Tru Oil to revive it. It may not be too late.

Minwax oil based wipe on is good too and once again apply in very thin coats but need not be as thin as Tru oil.

I just did mine in polyacrilic, bushed it on with a good horse hair brush, 1 coat for 2 hours, sanding with 400 between coats. Last coat got recoated in 20 min.

I'm happy with the way it came out. Not to mention i was able to do it in the living room infront of the tv with zero smell.

I use Tru oil on the bamboo flyrods I make. I apply it in very thin coats. I use a rag made from an old Tee shirt. I also thin the first coat 50/50 to help it soak into the boo. I then wait a day and Buff with 0000 steel wool. For the second coat I add back one measure of oil. This process I continue for six coats. I Buff the last coat out with buffing compound then wax with furniture wax.

Tru-oil 50/50 with mineral spirits is foolproof compared to using it straight. Gives very thin even coats with no need to use steel wool or anything else between coats or after to smooth out imperfections or cut the gloss as many do.

I also store it upside down as Bjrogg does.

Nemah has a good way. My 2 cents, I would use GLOSS poly, 3 light coats, let dry well (3 days is good), buff with 4/0 steel wool and recoat, 2-3 more light coats, let dry well. Me, I'd give it a week to get good and hard. Then if you like gloss, fine. if you want a dull finish, use 4/0 steel wool and a good paste wax. Very gently buff the entire bow and wipe off the wax right away. Rub in small circles to buff in the wax and wipe it down well. We used this method on furniture and it looks good for a dull finish. Just make sure that is what you want to do 'cause you can't go back to gloss.

If you try to google it, it's Polycrylic. It is an acrylic of course but they drop the "a" in the brand name. Good stuff.

I've always had better results with Wipe-On Poly.

All my risers get a Tru-Oil finish. Not good results with anything else,and it's easy to do spot refinish if you have an oops in the field!

Here is a Wing Thunderbird done with wipe on Poly, wiped on with small pieces of a cotton tee shirt about 3" square. I've done a lot of bows with it and always been very happy with the results. I use the gloss since it is harder. This bow had about 8-9 coats.

Thanks for the advice. I just finished removing the camo from a 69 super mag with rubbing alcohol. I’m very happy with the bow underneath all that paint.

I have always had good results with Minwax rub on gloss. After a couple of coats sanded with 400 in between, I then switch to 800, and 1500 for the last 2 or 3 coats. Comes out looking like it was dipped in glass.

I like using a green Scotch Brite pad between coats. It doesn't seem to take off as much as sandpaper yet smooths everything out.

For you folks that have experience refinishing, do u use denatured alcohol on the wood, after getting all the old Finish off, and before putting new finish on? This will be for the ipe belly lam, on a trilam English longbow.

Yes, denatured alcohol not rubbing alcohol. Use it between coats after Scotch Brite.

Jamie, the wipe on Poly works just like the Tru-Oil but dries faster. You can't keep rubbing it,it gets tacky then you will make it rough and require more sanding. If you miss a little spot catch it with the next coat. If you had success with Tru-Oil you won't have any trouble. >>>>----> Ken

Yes I use denatured alcohol when using Minwax poly after sanding. Do not use acetone as it will dissolve the previous coat.

you guys, geeting water spots on the minwax poly??? i use it on my turkey calls, and when it gets wet, it leaves water spots,,

I haven't ever noticed water spots on my poly finishes. Heck, I wet sand every sixth or seventh coat. I only use oil based poly on bows, not the water based that comes in the light blue can. I did use water based on a kitchen table and it does not water spot. Perhaps you have waxed the bow and it is the wax that is spotting.

I've used both and like the poly a lot better.

Minwax poly is a wipe on varnish, google Wood Whisperer for comparison.

Tru-Oil is Linseed oil based product.

RonL

I guess I’m the odd man out. I’ve refinished numerous bows and my last project was a stock off an old 1924 model 12 Winchester.

I go the route with spray on lacquer and poly. I usually go with 4 to 6 light coats of lacquer buffing in between. Let it dry real good then come back with about 4 coats of poly. This technique works well for me.

According to one web source Tru-oil is "56% mineral paint thinner, 32% oil varnish and 11% linseed or tung oil". That would help explain why it works so well when thinned 50/50 with mineral spirits since it doesn't alter the formula just adds more of the ingredient that dries off anyway and lays down nice thin even coats compared to when used straight.

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