I picked up an older Black Widow SAII Graybark, 1998 I think. Bow shoots very well but I notice on the finish tiny bubbles, is that normal, do I have to do something about it, and can I live with it.

Yep it's normal. I think they called it Autumn Frost finish or something like that. I didn't care much for it, but that's just me.

The newer bows have a smoother finish.

Go to the BW site and ask the guys at Black Widow they will tell you all you need to know right from the horse's mouth. They are great guys to work with.

Thanks now I can sleep easier, Whats up with the BW site, it's not up. Hope they didn't go out of business.

No, they said today they were shutting down for a few days. I think the LEather wall is down also. Lefimine manages both sites I believ.

I've had four widows with the frost finish and prefer it to the gloss, less scratch marks.

That was the finish on the Widows back then. I believe it was called the spiderweb finish.


Bill

well thats funny i have an older BW longbow with this "spiderweb finish or frost finish" i always just though someone had tried to refinish the bow them selves or BW messed up putting the finish on          he he i will now sleep easy at night

"Hope they didn't go out of business".

Now that's a good un...  

Quoteit was called the spiderweb finish.

It was a utility finish, kept the glare down and didn't reveal scratches like most finishes.  Basically just a couple coats of smooth epoxy with a final coat of splatter.

I hope they didn't go out of business too!!!    My bow is there being refinished and having snakskins put on.


Bill

I shoot the frost finish better, It doesn't stick to your palm the way a gloss finish will. That helps keep you from torquing the riser.
That sounds kind of funny I guess, but it works for me . You know what I meant.

I was on a family vacation many years ago in Albuquerque, NM & I slipped away long enough to visit Groves Archery. I had the honor of visiting with Mr. Harold Groves and shooting one of his Spitfire recurves. Anyway, when he heard I was from Missouri, he asked if I had ever been to Black Widow Bows. I said yes, so he asked me if I knew anything about BW's frost finish. Mr. Groves said he & his employees had been trying duplicate that particular finish on their bows but so far they were having no luck. Unfortunately, I was of no help to Mr. Groves.   ) It does show that this type of finish was popular at one time. I think the orginal Bighorn bows may have had a similar matte finish.

That finish is called "Spider Web" finish. That was the standard finish on their bows in the 90's. They went to the "Frost" finish sometime in the early 2000's, if I had kept my old Widow cataloges I could tell you exactly what year. I had a bow refinshed a couple of years ago and they can still do it but they charge extra for it. They lightly "splatter" spray the bow after the final coat of finish is on and dry. My 97 SA and 98 MA both have that finish.

Windstorm Archery used the same finish. They were carried in the Black Widow catalog for a couple years. I was told it was a type of marine epoxy that cut glare, was waterproof, and very tough.

Thank you everyone for letting me know about the finish, I was worried that I got a lemon. So I'm finally in nirvana. I used to stare at those Black Widow catalogs till I was blind, always craving one but could never come close to affording one. Finally got a used one and like I said I'm in nirvana. Bow shot so well, it deserves the hype.

Congrats on your "new" old Widow.