aged bocote

[mooseman76]

Is it true that bocote darkens as it ages?  Do you have any pics of an older bow with bocote in it?  Thanks...Mike

[BMOELLER]

Yes it does.  My boe is all bocote and it seems to be getting darker.  No pics right now.

[TomMcDonald]

Sweet.
I didn't know that.
I always thought Bocote was beautiful but wished it a little bit darker.

[Lewis Brookshire III]

Never had any of mine darken.....but then again I cant ever keep a bow long enough to tell. I got a sickness!!
 

[SpankyNeal]

Seems like it does but I don't know how long it takes. Here's my Pete George with Bacote riser.

Ken

[BroMark]

Not sure about Bocote, but I know some woods darken with age... Osage for sure... Black Cherry also darkens, especially when exposed to sunlight.  Other woods, like Walnut, tend to get lighter as they age.

Not trying to be Cliff Claven here... :D ...just sharing my limited experiences.

[Jeremy]

I have some bocote pieces cut a few years ago that look nearly black.  They've been sitting in a box so it's not exposure to light that does it.

[SL]

I had a bocote riser once and the bocote was so dark that I had a hard time believing it was bocote. IMO it looks even better after it darkens. A very rich looking wood when aged.
SL

[mooseman76]

Jeremy, I've heard of it turning black.  Out of curiousity if you sand it does it go back to its "normal" color?  

Mike

[vermonster13]

It can get very dark.

[mooseman76]

wow, that almost takes on a macassar ebony look to it.  Any idea how old that bow is?

[vermonster13]

3 years going on 4

[Jeremy]

Mike, yup.  If you sand it you're removing the oxidized wood and you'll get down to the lighter wood quickly.  The last knife  made with bocote had macassar ebony in the handle as well... until I started shaping the handle I couldn't tell the difference between the two.
Nice looking stick Dave!

[Jeremy]

hmmm... crossed posts with y'all there, didn't I  

[mooseman76]

Jeremy, when it turns that blackish color can you still see grain or does it get washed out by the rest of the wood?

Mike

[Foxtail]

Some folk like the darker version of the bocote- some don't. I have a bow that has gone dark on me, and I plan on having it refinished just for that reason. The colour darkens, and deadens at the same time- to my eye.

[Badlands]

yup, darkens a lot. I made a bow out of it 2 years ago and then made another one out of part of the same piece of wood a year later and was amazed at the difference. Now I would suppose the newest one is about a year old and they look much closer in collor.
I have been looking for some type of UV inhibitor that would work to keep them from changing, (especially paduck)but haven't come up with anything yet.

[overbo]

Vermonster,I beleive thats my old Vyperkahn.Is it 62'' and 50lbs @ 28''?If so, that bow is Ebony not bacote.I do have a set of Bacote w/ ebony fadeouts that where built for that bow.60'' 55lbs @ 28''.If interested shoot me a PM