I've got a few wood shafts I need to seal. Wondering... has anyone used Tru-oil?

1) How'd it do?

2) What glue did you use the letch with?

Fletching won’t stick to it very well. I’d recommend water base urethane.

I've used it a time or two. Tape sticks

Duco will too I believe.

Tru Oil makes a good bow finish. I wouldn't put it on arrows. Hardware store lacquer or poly, wiped on or dipped works best.

I like to free dip wood arrows with helmsman spar thinned with mineral spirits. Blue cap gorilla super glue for fletching. I’ve never had an issue

I have, real fancy finish, for fancy arrows in my opinion.

I have but I didn’t fletch over it. If you’re in a hurry better find something that dries quicker. That and I would wait a few days before fletching to make sure the finish is somewhat cured.

I have used tru-oil many times for shafts. It works great, actually it might be my favorite arrow finish. When I first get my shafts I take really fine steel wool and run up and down the shafts to remove any rough spots. I then take a clean shop towel and remove any dust that might be on the shaft, after that I take a clean rag and apply the tru-oil. I hang the shafts up and let them dry using a cloths pin. I normally apply three or four coats of tru-oil. I use Duco or super glue ultra gel. The feathers never come off.

I have also applied the tru-oil with the little cheap foam paint brushed and they work really well. The tru-oil makes a very pretty finish, the more coats that you apply, the richer the finish looks. If I decide to crest the shaft, I do that on the next to last finish. I have used permanent markers for that several times.

The only negative to Tru-oil is the drying time. The last couple dozen arrows I built I used True North, it is a water based finished and dries really fast. They both work good. True North is just more expensive.

I have also used water based poly and oil based poly from the hardware store. It’s a good finish also, but I seem to get more target burn on my arrow shaft. The Tru-Oil and True North don't.

I agree. The down side is too long to dry between coats & it takes a number of coats for a good finish. >>>----> Ken

I'm not looking for a "real good" finish on these shaft--nothing fancy here. Heck, I'm not even going to stain them. I just need to seal the shafts well.

So... from those who have used it, looks like the Tru-oil will work (if I let it dry long enough) and Duco will stick.

All I use is Tru-oil, I put the fletching on with Duco. I don't dip shafts anymore because I only make 6 at a time because I have more arrows than I will ever shoot now. I put a couple of coats over my cresting to lock it in place.

I use Tru-oil on my arrows, I crest with cheap hobby store craft acrylic paint, a 99-cent bottle is a lifetime supply. I put Tru-oil on my bow and on the flintlock rifles I built.

I like it.

X2 what Matt Steed an 2 bears said!

I've used Tru oil on shafts for quite some time. I usually apply 4-5 coats by hand. I crown dip with enamel spray paint and fletch with Fletch-tite or NAP glue.

Yes, it does take some time to dry adequately, and I wouldn't do it if I were doing multiple dozens of shafts. But I find it more convenient and less smelly than lacquer dipping, which is what I used to do.

Tru Oil is great for gunstocks and bows. I wouldn't put it on arrows. Spar urethane brushed on with a foam brush is what I use. Yes it does yellow a bit. I like that though.

I used Tru-oil on these. I thiught I would give it a try from the normal poly finish. Thin coats and hand rubbed…took some time dry but didn’t need them in a hurry. I used fletch tape for feathers with drop of Duco at front and back. They held up well until they all broke missing targets lol!

How did you stripe those shafts yew? Cool! I’ve done that to a hawk handle with a fat flame.

That’s a very rare type of curly cedar…lol!!!

The stripes were a PITA to do and took awhile to do. I used one of those ink pen thingys that you dip in ink. I had some old crappy shafts that were junk so i practiced on them until i could get the stripes right and not have all the stain run onto the shafts. I will most likely never do it again.

I like Poly-Acrylic as a coating, it seals well. I once found one of my arrows at a 3-D that had been laying for 3+ years. It was still straight.

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