So among my little bow collection I have a Mahaska and a River Raisin (both sooo pretty) that were minty and acquired second hand via this site. Both have exotic veneer limbs under clear glass. I was shooting them both the other day on a VERY sunny bright day and noticed that in each of them I could see at certain angles what looked like faint frosty lines in the glass in a couple spots. It didn't look like damage, just faint...my impulse is to just call it the normal glass as its supposed to look under bright light. I just got worried cause I've never noticed it (it really was a bright day) and I don't really know what to look for as far as negatives in a bow finish. I always use a stringer and those who sold me the bows always did I have zero doubt. What should I know about this topic to put me at ease and be better informed for future bow enjoyment?
A lot of clear glass isn't. In most cases, bowyers can't tell that the glass has those little streaks in them until after they glue up the bow and take it out of the press. Most bowyers and customers accept a little streaking. It's just cosmetic. Does kind of sting when one has laid out big money for a bow though.
If they are running the length of the bow, I wouldn't worry, if they are across the limb, I still wouldn't worry but I would keep an eye on them. Can you tell if they are in the limb or are on top? If on top, it is probably the finish.
It's normal. Most "clear" glass has that streaking... something bow makers fight all the time. It really shows on darker veneers. Like the above poster mentioned, you can't tell it until the limbs are glued up and cured. Normal, that is, if the streaks run parallel with the limbs. Sometimes they get lucky and few streaks are apparent. Sometimes not.
I look at each and every pc of glass I ship, some you can catch , some you won't see til you glue up, some not til you spray finish on! Wish it weren't so, but it is an ongoing battle.
As said above , dark woods are the worst.
Wonder how many streaks are in colored glass? :D :saywhat:
Yup, already said here. Very normal with glass. The darker the veneer, the more noticeable it can be.
Ok thanks guys. All of the ghost lines I've seen have been parallel to the limbs and nothing I saw ran full length, it just seemed to be a couple inches at most, and all definitely appeared to be under the glass from what I could tell. Nothing unsightly, both the Mahaska and the River Raisin I have are gorgeous. The M. is cocobolo with cedar limbs and the RR is a medley of woods with Bocote limbs. As you all say, just me noticing normal things under extremely bright Florida sun.