I’ve hunted with woodies that weren’t sealed. Unless they’re burnished really well they get kinda fuzzy. You know the way wood does when it gets a little moisture on it. Fuzzy shafts don’t penetrate as well as slick ones.

If you wanted to go more primitive you could burnish and wax the shafts. I think that’d work well but I’ve never tried it.

Clay — I know a guy who has tried burnishing and waxing, and both work to keep out the moisture that causes not only the fuzziness you mention but swelling and warping. Only downsides are that both add to an arrow’s shine. But then so do most finishes (which I deal with by lightly buffing with steel wool to remove the shine but leave the protective finish). Only guys I know, including me, who regularly don’t finish their homemade arrows and when they make ’em for stumping or small game, both of which lead to fast arrow turn-around, so to speak.

To remove the fuzziness wet the palm of your hand and wipe this over the arrow, this will make the fuzz stand up then use steel wool to remove it, do this a couple of times and no more fuzz.

How about sealing with a little boiled linseed oil?

Mark.

Linseed will seal it but it does have a lingering odor.
I have sealed my viburnum shafts by burnishing them and coating with bees wax. buff with a cotton rag and they are slick as can be. Just wax again as needed.

Duncan — I have a friend who seals his selfbows with bee’s wax, just as you suggest. My question is — do you rub it on from a “cold stick,” or does it work better to heat it before applying? And doesn’t it give as much shine as a dip finish would? Thanks, dave