I did a search and read a little on painting bows but wanted to get some fresh ideas and opinions. I'm new to trad equipment but have taken over 100 whitetails with compound. I'm not into flashy or pretty gear, just want stuff that works, plain and simple tools.
Scored a '12 Bear Super K, non Grayling Green version due to above stated reasons. It wears an EFA quiver with plain brown hood. I'm seriously considering hitting the bow with some rattle can camo paint to simply dull up the finish and make it, what I feel like would be a better tool for hunting. I did kill a little 8 point with it this season so I know it will work as is, this is more for me than the critters.
Talk me out of it or provide me guidance on how to proceed. Please and thank you.
Spray paint works fine. You can use leaves and grass as stencils for camo!
QuoteOriginally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
Spray paint works fine. You can use leaves and grass as stencils for camo!
Thanks sir, I've painted some rifles and shotguns in my day, just never a bow. Wondered about the limb flex and such. Thanks again for reply.
Just keep it simple with light coats, just dull the finish. Then if you want to remove it at some point it's a piece of cake! :thumbsup:
My experience is that unless you just want to be an artist and use stencils etc, just splashing on a few lighter or darker shades onto a solid background is enough to break up the outline of the bow,
ChuckC
QuoteOriginally posted by ron w:
Just keep it simple with light coats, just dull the finish. Then if you want to remove it at some point it's a piece of cake! :thumbsup:
Exactly what my plans were. Hit it with a dusting of OD green and maybe some brown. Pretty subdued already, just want to "flatten" it up some more.
May want to ditch the pink arrows and chartreuse fletching too, huh?
(http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s60/DaddyPaul1/image_zps2e041dd9.jpg)
personally i think the super k is one of the most beautiful recurves made, custom or not, so if its just the glare you don't like try lightly rubbing it with 0000 steel wool, it wont shine anymore and it will still maintain its beauty.
or spray away its your bow
Agree with Brian. I would never take a can of spray paint to that beautiful bow. A pair of copperhead limsations from Onestringer (a sponsor here) would be just what the doctor ordered.
I've also taken string wax and crayoned the bow. It cuts the glare and removes easily when the season ends but most of the time I just use limb skins. I have painted a couple of bows and have not been satisfied with the removal results.
I'd tape off everything but the limb faces, hang it up, and hit it with several light coats of some flat Krylon.
i just got a bow for bowfishing, that i might use in the woods. so i did a little camo on it.
just enough paint to get coverage then i made some stencils and added some brown markings .
(http://i958.photobucket.com/albums/ae69/arrow30_photos/S10400051_zps5fa87370.jpg)
(http://i958.photobucket.com/albums/ae69/arrow30_photos/S10400031_zps227d93cf.jpg)
Spraying satin poly over the bow will dull the finish but still show off the original wood.
I like it Arrow30!
Well, I'd have trouble painting a S.K. but, if you're serious look might want to look into camo-dipping. Nicer than a rattle can, and more durable.
Don't paint it. You'll regret it when your'e elbow deep in WD40 trying to get it off.
Limbskins! in pin oak or tamarack. Just slide 'em on or off as needed. Your bow quiver will install right over them.
I have the pin oak limbskins on my vintage Grizzly and they work great. Tamarack on my Samick Volcano which is basically a grizzly clone.
Back in the day (I must be getting old) before compounds came already camo dipped I sprayed them with Bow Flage. If I remeber right you could take it off with remover. Im with alot of the members here, that bow is too nice to paint. I put removable snake skins on my Bob Lee.
I agree that's way to nice a bow to ugly up with a rattle can. Get some bow skins
Finkim1 could you post a pic of you lee with the skins ? I was thinking of the snake skins for mine I'd like to see how it looks.
Yes, please post up some pics of the skins or sleeves. I hate snakes so definitely NOT going that route!
Try some cloth camo tape. Won't hurt the finish, camoes the bow and it's removeable any time you want to.
How about light sanding and spraying 3 coats of Helmsman spar urethane , dull finish but still looks super nice...
QuoteOriginally posted by SteveT:
How about light sanding and spraying 3 coats of Helmsman spar urethane , dull finish but still looks super nice...
What do I sand with? Not against this idea if it will really dull it up.
you can get a can of valspar flat, works great! you can get it at lowes.
its a clear flat finish. i use it on the bows i dont wanna camo, just wipe them off with a little lacher thinner to get any wax and oil off and hang and spray.
Yeah a Super K is too nice to spray. +1 for limbs kind or some other easily reversible method. Also, don't ditch the pink/chart arrows, nice and easy to see if you lose em and deer can't see those colors anyway.
I've done a lot of camo paint jobs on different stuff and it works pretty decent. the key is using a lighter color green base coat, and a darker green too mixed with browns and flat black. I dressed up my 3 wheeler this year right before elk season... I just used maple and black walnut leafs to do this one... i was still in progress on this and did get the shinny wheels and gear case tamed down.
Oh.... before i forget... if you are going to do this to a bow limb, the most important part is sealing your paint job when you are done with a spar varnish.... after clear coating you can rub it down with steel wool to knock the sheen off it.
(http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u301/kirkll/Hunting%20pics/Elk%20hunt%202012/SANY0008-1.jpg)
QuoteOriginally posted by SteveT:
How about light sanding and spraying 3 coats of Helmsman spar urethane , dull finish but still looks super nice...
Appreciate the phone call brother.
E-Mailed photo to mrfingers. I have alot of trouble posting pics from photo bucket.
GO IRISH !!!!!
Thanks fnkm1. I'm on my sons I pad so the pic is small maybe it will be bigger on my PC
Nice canoe!!
Do not paint that bow. It is too nice. Skin the limbs with the stick on stuff that removes easily or get some limb skin socks. If you want it really camo get some leafy type flauge and put on it. I think rancho safari has some of it. I use their ghilla and love it. Killed all my deer with it on this year, bow had camo no mar type tape on the back of the limbs and thats it.
I would not steel wool it or spray it with satin poly either.
I assure you the critters are not looking at the bow when they see you.
Daddy Paul
Go to the 3rivers web site (top of page ) type in limb skin s in the search bar. Go to the reviews there are some pictures posted on there you can click on and get a good look.
It will save you some work .
Tim.
OH NO !!!! do not paint that bow that is way to good looking as is. :nono: :nono:
QuoteOriginally posted by BRIARS:
Do not paint that bow. It is too nice. Skin the limbs with the stick on stuff that removes easily or get some limb skin socks. If you want it really camo get some leafy type flauge and put on it. I think rancho safari has some of it. I use their ghilla and love it. Killed all my deer with it on this year, bow had camo no mar type tape on the back of the limbs and thats it.
I would not steel wool it or spray it with satin poly either.
I assure you the critters are not looking at the bow when they see you.
I'm not having issues getting busted, just don't like shiny bows. I just want to dull the finish or camo it up.
Well, if you don't like shiny bows and want to cover it up, then do it. You can paint it, use limb skins, dip it, or dull it. All the options are out there. I'd be interested in seeing a pic of the results.
You know something i just thought of was limsations...
check these out.... you can always remove them
http://www.onestringer.com/index.php?page=mods/Products/showprod&catid=17
That's nice
I spray painted a bow for camo effect once, and it worked great. However, later on I wanted the bow back in its original coloration. Even though the paint was supposed to be easily removable with the company's remover, it simply did not work. I still don't have all the paint off that bow. Point is make very sure that you don't want to ever come back to the original finish before you undertake the camo project.
QuoteOriginally posted by Sam McMichael:
I spray painted a bow for camo effect once, and it worked great. However, later on I wanted the bow back in its original coloration. Even though the paint was supposed to be easily removable with the company's remover, it simply did not work. I still don't have all the paint off that bow. Point is make very sure that you don't want to ever come back to the original finish before you undertake the camo project.
Thank you sir, jury is still out on what I'm going to do with my Super K.
I painted mine matte black this year. When it comes to hunting bows my thoughts are pure function. I have used the 3rivers camo bow socks and even though they are well made I just didnt care for them especially the fact that the soked up so much water when it rained. Lacquer thinner will pull that paint right off but there are varying opinions as to what it might do to the clear coat. I painted mine with Rustoleum camoflauge black and never looked back. This is the only pic I have of it right now but you can see how dull the paint is.
(http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z436/tuscarawasbowman/Bowspur002.jpg)
Hope this was of some use and remember it is your bow, your choice.