I have not made up any wood arrows in at least 20 years.  Back then I used all Bohning stuff.  I really don't want to restock all that stuff.

I have seen some real nice "stained" crown dips in many different colors.  You can still see the wood grain, but you have some color and contrast.  What do you guys use for a crown stain like that?  

I'd like to do a white stained crown as well.  What are you using for that?

I primarily use commercial water-base wood stain, analine dye, and Rit dye mixed with denatured alchol.
For a white stain find some whitewash pickling stain. It's essentially a white stain: colors the the wood white but you can still see the wood grain. It's a very cool effect and not many people use it.

Guy

For different colors I use spray paint.I spray it on let it dry,then take steel wool and take off as much as needed to make it light or dark.Then crest and seal with either spray or wipe on poly.

Thanks.  Any other tips?

Personally I use MinWax Stains, Dark Up Top, and Light on the Shaft. Or whatever You prefer. No Muss, No Fuss. Seperated with Masking tape and I usually Crest where the Stain Line is.  

I have made weathered wood (think gray barn siding) by mixing water and baking soda then liberally applying it to the wood and letting sit in the sunlight.  2 coats is usually sufficient.  Check out the picture frame over my stairwell Saturday when your over.  It was done that way.

I'm curently trying some of the Old Masters white pickling stain on doug fir cut offs, and I'm not to satisfied with the results.  Works awesome on oak doors, but not fir shafts in my opinion.  

I don't care for water based stains to much.  with the finish I put on, it allows the water base stain to run. It can be done, but it requires some thought.  

I have done painted crowns, but being a carpenter, I love seeing the wood grains, so the majority of my arrows are all stain.  

In my opinion, Minwax ebony stain on doug fir is the prettiest looking stain.  It would look awesome with the other color you picked (they inspired me to open the doors to the Motor City Machete shop tonight), but it would distract from the footings on them.  I will continue tinkering with the pickling stain tomorrow, and also talk with one of our painters too.

Could just keep it natural too?  I will do one with 1/2 pecan and 1/2 bare tomorrow evening.  Maybe with some of that "special paint" used to separate them, it would all flow together.  The boys (yes I was one of them too)went down there tonight with the night vision goggles and loved the way the paint looked.    

I'm doing some natural stain crowns right now. I will try to get pics up early tom. I like natural too.

Pics would be awesome Ryan, thanks.  If anybody has pics of a white stained crown dip, please post along with what you used.

Thanks all.

Like Shakes I like Minwax stains. Usually with a darker crown stain and a simple crest where the two colors of stain meet. Haven't tried any white stain. The rit dye in denatured alcohol works good too.

Steve, no pics but if you use any type of white stain, make sure the finish is water white(clear). If not, you will find out that some finishes have amber hues & will change the white to green or different shades of yellow-ish white. Water based finishes are the clearest, but then you have to make sure the stain is very dry(white stain takes longer to dry) & what to put the feathers on with. If you use tape then no problem.

These cedars were crowned with Krylon spray paint...




..and these tapered ash arrows were crowned with Rit dye in alcohol and the rest of the shaft was stained with finely ground charcoal and denatured alcohol...

Well all I use now is dye and I just have one dip tube with gasket dip clear .


And I mix it in a glass jar so that next time I can have the same color . I make it a qt. at a time .

I have been using the cheap craft paint from Walmart for all of my wood arrows for years.  They have every color you can think of from earth tones to the brightest colors.  Thin with water to make a stain or simply brush it on to cover the grain.  I have also used it in an airbrush.  

Here is the new set. I'm going to foot them with ebony later. Have fun Steve. Hope you draw this year  

Some Beauties here....

gotta love them woods...

You guys do some GREAT work!

Ryan, those are so classy now I need to learn how to splice! I may have to rethink this crown.  I have a stain very close to that of yours on the main portion of the shaft and they are footed with African Blackwood.

Going to have to look up that spliced along...

Well Steve, I played around with it this afternoon, and after thinning down some Killz primer with water and wiping it on, I let it dry and then dipped it just to see what it would look like.  If you are looking for a translucent white, you will be happy.  Maybe 2 coats of "Killz stain" would give a deeper look, but the grain really stands out in it (douglas fir in particular), wait till you see the set I did up last night.  I did the first dip tonight and they are simply amazing.  Ready to crest now then "Turn out the light"  

These are some Surewood Hemlock shafts I stained the crown on. Wife really likes this look! They're now in the possession of K.S.Trapper.    

 

double post!      

Those are nice Ron    Thanks for the comment Steve. Good luck on your arrow build!