Hi all,
I received my 3 dozen bare shafts in the post today and am keen to start work preparing them.
First step would be to stain or seal them.
I have a surplus of linseed oil because I use that to treat my English Willow cricket bats.
Does anyone have experience using this oil? Should I just give it a go?

linseed is really good, You just have to fine glue that holds to it...

I just use poly or just use tru-oil for my arrows.Don't forget to make them straight first, then seal/stain, then straighten again.

First step is to get em all straight.  I suppose you could use linseed oil, nevere heard of anyone using it till now.  If it were me I'd make one arrow first and see how it all works out.

QuoteOriginally posted by mysticguido:
linseed is really good, You just have to fine glue that holds to it...

I just use poly or just use tru-oil for my arrows.Don't forget to make them straight first, then seal/stain, then straighten again.

Hi mate, thanks for the reply.
So are you saying that linseed oil is difficult with glues?
I'd rather have a good, strong glue hold than a nicer looking shaft.
Thanks.

If I recall, Tru-oil is linseed based.

Eric

Tom, a polyurethane based penetrating sealer, with or without stain, and a spar urethane or gasket lacquer top coat will do a good job. The only disadvantage to the urethane top coat that I've experienced is that it makes the arrows difficult to pull from 3D targets.

On the set I finished today, I used two coats of Minwax penetrating sealer with "natural" stain, followed by 4 coats of nitrocellulose gasket lacquer. I steel-wooled them lightly after the first gasket lacquer coat to smooth a little rough grain. Each coat is thin, and after 4 it gets an even sheen.

I crested them with craft store paint and Sharpie pens in three colors. I sprayed the cresting with a very light coat of acrylic lacquer and glued the fletching on with Loctite superglue. Over the lacquer, superglue needs about 20 minutes drying time. Over urethane, 5 minutes will do it. I finished them with a drop of Duco cement at each end of each feather to anchor them and hopefully keep a loose fletching out of my knuckle.

The problem with linseed oil is it isn't a waterproof coating.  Even the US Army switched from linseed oil to tung oil during WW2 because it wasn't a good protector for stocks.  It soaks in but will not give you water protection.  Tru-oil has dryers and polymers in it that will be waterproof.

True Oil is a Tung oil based product.
Bob

Thanks for the replies guys.
I am using a tung oil based product with eucalyptus and bees wax. It has a light goldy, teaky coloured stain to it which looks OK.
I'll try this on one shaft and lacquer it up and see how it goes.