Here I show how I do artifical stone inlays as arrow pass. We need epoxi, earth pigments – which is nothing else than stone powder, and some tools to cut the inlay.
In this case the arrow pass is to be made for a hazel bow, No. 30 (see here), which has a stained back (brown and green stain). I will try to get the arrow pass matching in colors.
Here is the handle …
The first thing is to strengthen the wood surface with a thinned solution of shellac as hazel is a very soft wood. Shellac dries out very quick and you can continue at once.
Next is marking the handle position and the desired shape of the arrow pass. You see I do it a bit longer than the upper line of the handle. The handle leather or in this this case a cord wrapping covers the basic line of the arrow pass when finished.
Now cut out the shape of the aroow pass about 2 mm deep.
Now we can make the artificial stone, I use green and brown pigments which are stirred in two portions of epoxi.
The cut out arrow pass is filled with the green epoxi
Next stir in some brown in fancy patterns you like.
This is what I got, now wait for curing.
There is a point of curing time when the epoxi gets stiff where you can easily cut of the excess.
Well, you can see my work isn’t perfect. Some traces of the cutter blade are filled with epoxi. I will sand that area a bit deeper and hope I can get it out. Here is a pic without any finish, some coats of oil will bring out the colors more intensively.
