I recently made a few dozen arrows for myself and sealed them with the gasket lacquer from 3Rivers.  I've been shooting them for a while and they're getting some target burn (I guess that's what you'd call it) where the arrow enters the target.

I'll be moving to SE Alaska in a couple months and I understand that gasket lacquer doesn't hold up too well in wet climates.  

Is there a seal out there that will hold up to the moisture and prevent that target burn as well?  If not, then I'll be happy with something that will resist water a bit better than the gasket lacquer.  I don't mind the 4 or 5 inches of the opaqueness at the end of the arrow as long as they still hold up.

Thanks for the help.

Adam

Dalys Profin.

What NoCams said. Pro-Fin works great and no target burn either.

Joe

Thanks guys.  I just checked their website and they have it available in Juneau.  I think I'll just wait to make a new set when I get up there in June.

Is that stuff thick like the gasket lacquer?  The great thing about that stuff is that it's convenient and dries quick with the gasket dipping system form 3Rivers.

If not, do you have to thin it out before dipping, or is it ready to go out of the can?

Thanks again.

Adam

ProFin is not thick.  Use it right out of the can in your dip tube, hang the shafts over paper to drip dry.  Depending upon temp and humidity, it may take at least overnight before you can dip again.  It is an excellent oil based finish.

       
Like Ray said it is the perfect consistancy to dip right out of the can. If you pour it back in the can and reseal it lasts forever. Crown with Rustoleum and crest with a water-based paint, then dip them in ProFin and you got it!!!

How do you guys hang your arrows?

I built a dipping/drying rack similar to the one TJ made (he shows a picture of it in his book The Trad Archers Handbook) and use cloths pins to hang the arrows. Works fine.

I've been using Testor's enamel on top of my gasket lacquer for cresting.  It holds up great, dries hard as nails and haven't seen a need to worry about dipping something on top of the enamel...I don't want the cresting to run.

Will I still be able to use the Testor's oil based enamel before or after sealing with ProFin?

I've tried some Minwax polycrylic and the cresting ran like a gutshot hog.

Thanks again for the input.

Adam

Pic of the Testor's enamel on top of the gasket lacquer...

I have a line with clothes pins I use to hang my shafts to dry, super cheap and easy. I use old newspaper and cardboard to let them drip on below.

I wouldn't put Profin over an oil-based paint. It would make it run like a "gutshot hog". Water-based paints will work though. Lots of those available. I don't know how Testors would do Over ProFin. I can try it on a test piece tonight and let you know. I just like sealing with a protective coating over the cresting and everything that's why I dip the shaft in ProFin after crown and cresting.

MO Bow, that is why I switched to the testors acrylics. No issues with Profin. You can get testors acrylics at Hobby Lobby or order direct from testors.com. Stain, cap dip, crest, then 3-4 coats of Profin. Duco for nocks and feathers. Duco will melt down into the Profin and you cannot even see a glue line hardly. Lately been using fletchtape too. I too use a clothesline and pins to hang my shafts to dry.

Can you use Testors as creating with Minwax polycrylic stain?

Ca. Yes you can. The metalics will run under it but the solids won't. Let dry 24 hrs.

snag, let me know how that works out.

All, thanks for the input.  I'll check out the Testor's acrylic.  Sounds like as long as I use water based paint, I'll be good to go with the ProFin.

Thanks a lot fellas.

Adam