Just my guessin’ but I betcha the first combo could be an issue.

I’ve used tung oil without a problem though.

By the way, tung oil will bring new life to an old faded set of antlers. 😀

Another vote for Tung oil as easy to use and to reapply when needed. It also gives wood a soft natural look some like. But most like the shine of lacquer and such. Trouble is, all such hard finishes, aside from shining like glass when hunting, tends to crack and chip off and refinishing evenly is difficult. I’m sold on Tung oil.

Ralph, please describe the “new life” a bit more. Does it darken chalky-white antlers in a natural way? The very worst thing you can do to faded antlers, which I see all the time, is to apply wood stain. It goes way too dark and looks nothing like fresh antlers. I have one “European mount” outside on a tree and I would love to be able to preserve it without spoiling the natural look. Oddly, I just noticed last evening, the skull is turning green with mold … in a semi-desert place where 30% is very high humidity and 15% in summer is common. Moisture must be coming from the bone itself, though it’s several years old.

The tops set was outside and getting pretty white and I tung oiled it’ Not as shiny as the lower set that were never in the sun except when the buck was wearing them.

I can’t say the tung oil will make’em look new but way better. Another coat someday might make a big difference. I have a set somewhere that really looks good that I redone but they’re at my cousins at Molina.

Ralph, I like your tag line, I’ll be in France this time next week very appropriate.

Dave, you might try wiping of the scull and applying bleach, wipe or brush it on sparingly careful not to get it on the horn.

Mark.

Opps. Forgot to put Charles de Gaulle said that. Will do.

Tung oil?

Does it seal and protect the wood shaft?

Do you apply it over your cresting?

I have been using a water based polyurethane to finish my arrows. Straighten, Stain, crest, check straightness again, then dip in poly(about 4 coats) to seal and finish em.

I have been using deft lacquer to seal mine. Dries to a nice finish. Using two coats and then waxing them after fletching. Not affected by moisture and heat like poly is.

Wojo — I’m afraid that Tung oil and cresting paint don’t mix, either chemically or aesthetically. If you like bright colored cresting, you won’t like Tung oil. Art is a highly individual choice and more often than not can’t be rated on a scale of “practicality.”

Painter in me had to respond. If you are going to varnish with poly, you need to use a SPAR varnish. That is an exterior varnish, which has a UV blocker. Otherwise the suns UV rays will break down the varnish, and you will have cracking, peeling, etc. If you have woodwork which is varnished, look at the window sill on the sunny side of your house. That is what happens to interior varnish when exposed to the sun. In realty, you probably won’t have enough sun on your arrows to degrade an interior varnish. Exterior SPAR varnish costs about twice as much as the interior stuff. Really depends on how long your arrows last. Guess it all boils down to how long you are gonna look for arrows when stumping?:? I like to make them functional, and expect to loose them. Thus no cresting, no paint, just stain, but I do use exterior spar varnish. On the other hand, since bows last longer, you damn well better use an exterior SPAR varnish. None of this applies to the various oils used in finishing. I have heard the best oil finish is Mobil 1, after 6,000 miles in the crank case. If you want some, I have a lifetime supply under the back porch.

How do you guys apply that tung oil?

Jim, what I had last was wipe on. Ask me not what brand:D

I think I bought it at wally world.