I'm thinking of ordering a bow featuring purpleheart and I've read that this wood turns brown with age. If you have a picture of a bow with purpleheart that is say 5+ years old would you please post so I can get some idea of what the wood will look like down the road. Thanks.

Alan

I wonder if the type of sealer or finish on it makes a difference? I had a knife with purpleheart scales that I lost while field dressing a deer in the winter. Went back the next spring and it was black! My figured purpleheart is new and isn't the bright purple. Wouldn't take much for it to darken into a purple/brown tint.

It goes to brown pretty fast.  A lot faster then osage.

Mike

The quality of the finish and type of finish used makes a lot of difference in how long it stays purple. There are also some tricks to bringing out the purple before sealing. It has to be completely and deeply sealed though.

Also there is a lot of difference in the color of purpleheart. There is light color. Brown, Wine color and deep purple . I like the Wine and deep purple the best but they are both kind of hard to find.

God bless you , Steve

I have a knife with purpleheart scales that is very dark, similar to the color of a muscadine - darker than most grapes. Mine isn't brown, maybe closer to black, but in good light it is obvious that it is a deep dark purple. I love the look.

Here is one with purpleheart and bacote.  Don't remember exactly when I got this, I think it was 2004.  It has been my go to bow for most 3-d, target, stumping and all of my hunting since it arrived.  When not in use it hangs in the basement with no sunlight but it has seen a LOT of outdoor use in the past 7/8 years.  The purpleheart has held its color quite well as you can see in this sun-lit pic.  The tree was the pic subject so the bow is a little out of focus but you can still get an idea on the colors. It is a Robertson and I'm not sure what finish Dick used on it.

That first pic was last month.  Here is another from March 2011...

Here are a few from January 2009....




 

Good luck with your bow.  I hope it holds up well for you.

I bought this bow on consignment and I think it's at least five years old but it may have been refinished but it sure looks nice. Heartwood and birdseye.

Thanks for the comments and thank you Forester and old_goat2 for the pictures. If I can get that type of purpleheart I will be very pleased. Think I will speak to the bowyer regarding the type of treatment he puts on the wood.

I picked up my newest longbow back in august. The grip is purple heart and was almost bright pink when I got it. Now that I have hunted all year with it, it is a nice dark purple like the pics above. I don't have any pics handy right now. I can send you before and after pics once I get home from work.

I have used some PH that will get bright purple when worked. Some will get as brown as walnut when worked and then go back to purple in a day or two an continue to gain the purple-ness(??). Some will be in between. Some of the older Bear bows used PH that looks brown until refinished and some used it that still looks purple. Them bows are 40-50 yrs old. I can't explain it. This bow is almost 10yrs old. It was sealed well and the finish was cheap.
fwiw.

CTT

Here are a few more shots for comparison.  Same bow as above alongside a Martin Hunter from 1995.  The Hunter appeared more purple when I bought it new and has mellowed into a purple hued brown as the others have described.  This bow was out and about in the sun from '95 to '04 and then periodically after that.  It is usually stored in a bow sock in a dark place when not in use.

Here is my CheckMate King's Pawn with Purple Heart riser:

The Checkmate Kings pawn is the wine color I was talking about. Most of the other bows are the lighter purple heart . None of them are the deep purple.

God bless you all, Steve

My Kodiak 59 has an incredible Purplehearth I-bean,but I don't know if it is been refinished lately!

Here is a picture taken in August of 2011 just before I sold this Rocky Mountain Recurve, Which was made in the mid 1990's my memory is not what it used to be but You decide how much she faded, I do not think at all.
 

Thanks guys. Just what I was looking for.