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Massey finish - two part epoxy and acetone

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Eric Krewson:
A question was asked and I answered it, if you don't like the finish don't use it, injecting a negative comment into the discussion serves no useful purpose.

I tried this finish (named after Jay Massy) after reading the Jay Massy book where he described hunting in Alaska with a sinew backed hickory bow, he had lost the bow in a river during a canoe accident and recovered it from under the water a month later only to find the finish was in perfect shape and the bow was still functional.

Applying this finish takes up to a week, I tried it, it was OK but being a bit lazy I prefer plain old Tru-oil as a bow finish.

I don't make primitive bows; I make all wood or natural material bows. I replicate bows made in the 30s and 40s, hardly primitive but nice bows none the less.

I build flintlock rifles as well; in the flintlock realm we have what we call what we call "thread counters" these are people who put down other people's work if they don't make perfectly period correct rifles, accoutrements and even hand stitched period clothing. These people are probably the most obnoxious, annoying people that you could ever possibly meet.

We have some "thread counters" on this site as well; I have been the target of their putdowns more times than I can remember.

simk:
Sorry Eric if I hurt your feelings - and sorry again.
Just wanted to say that I personally dont like the plastic look and feeling on a wooden bow and that I think it does not fit to a wooden bow - it does not feel like wood anymore when you touch it. It just feels like plastic because it is plastic you put on your bow. I think this is a absolutely relevant point talking about this kinda finish and can be discussed. So where is your problem, why so aggressive? Sure it seals well. Longevity under UV (?) was the other point.... So obviously my comment was about very objective points regarding this topic and maybe very useful for others to make their decision on weather to use it or not for their wooden bows.
cheers

Eric Krewson:
It is called hijacking a thread and taking it off the rails; "how about being a little more primitive?", I mentioned the excessively shiny finish in my answer.

simk:
Come'on Eric, lol, my post was far from being off topic - it's exactly and solely related to it and just expressed my personal experience and conclusions about it. I didn't offend anyone. Of course everyone is free to try or do this finish. I don't....usually sink my bows in rivers also  ;)  thanks for being friendly. 
cheers

willie:
JW

I have used epoxy in various formulations for boatbuilding work. It is well suited to applications demanding water resistance. I have no doubt Jay was impressed with his results, but question whether thinning an epoxy adhesive with acetone can create a sealant/finish that might be better than a epoxy product specifically formulated as a sealant/finish.

Some epoxy laminating resins are, by design, quite thin and well suited for your intended purpose. I use System 3 clear coat in applications similar to yours. I find warming the wood to 120* F prior to application of the resin significantly helps with penetration.

My preference for system 3 is only because it is available locally. West systems also has formulations with similar viscosities which I would presume to work equally well. These thinner formulations can also be thickened for usages that call for more viscosity.

When limiting my choices to a natural finish, I agree with Mike

--- Quote from: bownarra on August 19, 2022, 02:27:19 am ---A well done tung oil finish is as resistant as anything :)

--- End quote ---
On wet weather hunts here in Alaska, I keep a small tin of beeswax mix,( thinned into a firm paste with some oil), for frequent application as needed.
Dean Torges did some experiments published in one of his books which showed a wax finish to be most effective for his purposes also.

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