Author Topic: Pine resin what to look for?  (Read 7314 times)

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Offline stuckinthemud

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Pine resin what to look for?
« on: March 29, 2022, 06:58:25 pm »
A quick internet search shows lots of forms of pine resin, some even mixed with bees wax.  What should I look for as an ingredient for the wax, verdigris and pine resin fletch wrap used on war bow arrows?

Offline Pat B

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Re: Pine resin what to look for?
« Reply #1 on: March 30, 2022, 10:24:06 am »
When I'm making pitch glue I look for hard, brittle pine pitch, usually found on damaged pine trees(other conifers too). If it is not hard, brittle pitch you will need to cook out the turps or it will take forever to dry. To that pitch I melt in bees wax to reduce the brittleness and finely ground charcoal to add body to the pitch glue. I don't have a specific recipe. I usually cook the pitch to melt it add a little bees wax and let it cool then check the consistency. Then I remelt it and add enough charcoal to add body to the mixture.
 Instead of bees wax you can use other plant or animal oils(fat) and instead of charcoal you can use fine saw dust or dried rabbit or deer poop which is basically the undigested roughage, just be sure it's dried out well.
 Also with the pitch I make a simple varnish by dissolving hard, brittle pitch in alcohol. I use this on sinew arrow wraps and have coated arrow shafts with it. With the hard brittle pitch you get a smooth, non-sticky coating. If the pitch is not hard and brittle it will be sticky until the turps evaporate of which takes a long time. True varnish has a small amount of oil added.
 I've never used verdigris so I can comment on that.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

bownarra

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Re: Pine resin what to look for?
« Reply #2 on: April 02, 2022, 02:40:00 am »
The verdigris is just an insecticide no other function.

Offline AndrewS

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Re: Pine resin what to look for?
« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2022, 07:44:54 am »
I use Collophonium.

For stringwax I use 95% beeswax and 5% collophonium (+  a few drops of oliveoil)

For glueing I use 85 - 90 % Collophomium, 10 - 15 % beeswax and a few drops of oil.
You have to heat the hard piece of glue and after cooling down it is hard again.
Please don't heat with a flame, 'cause the collophonium is burning very fast...

Offline Pat B

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Re: Pine resin what to look for?
« Reply #4 on: April 02, 2022, 10:36:55 am »
I'd never heard of colophonium so I looked it up. Sounds like the hard, brittle I use but it is what's left over after the volatile oils are artificially removed. Where do you get the colophonium, Andrew?
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline AndrewS

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Re: Pine resin what to look for?
« Reply #5 on: April 03, 2022, 04:58:44 am »
I got colophonium in a store for artists' supplies - canvases, for example, are primed with it. Also musicians (string instruments) use it for the bows of their instruments.

gutpile

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Re: Pine resin what to look for?
« Reply #6 on: April 11, 2022, 11:24:39 am »
never used pitch as a glue to fletch arrows.. hide glue is perfect for that. I use the pitch when hafting points or knife blades..I just made 4 huge glue sticks of pitch.. mixed in hardwood ash and beeswax...  gut

gutpile

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Re: Pine resin what to look for?
« Reply #7 on: April 11, 2022, 11:25:58 am »
pic

gutpile

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Re: Pine resin what to look for?
« Reply #8 on: April 11, 2022, 11:29:28 am »
fresh pitch off one limb.. sucker was putting out like a prom date..oh well ,not worth trying to post those pics again here.. just too much BS.. smh.. give up on posting pics to this site anymore. you think they would fix it by now.. gut

Offline stuckinthemud

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Re: Pine resin what to look for?
« Reply #9 on: April 15, 2022, 01:22:15 pm »
Glad I’m not the only one can’t post photos here anymore.  As I understand it, the wax/pitch paste covers the thread wrap that ties down the feathers, it’s not really used as a glue per se

Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Pine resin what to look for?
« Reply #10 on: April 21, 2022, 10:22:47 pm »
Do you need some Ponderosa pine pitch? I have been collecting it for years and have done absolutely nothing with it except to move it around and tell myself I really, really am going to do something with it.

Some day.
Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.