[Dan Kary]

Hi everybody,

I'm wondering, aside from boiled linseed oil, and perhaps painting, how exposed wooden weapon parts (handles basically) were finished? Did they use stains? Varnishes? I'm betting that it's really hard to say for sure, but I'm wondering if there isn't some evidence for them doing certain things in particular.

I also wonder if they wouldn't stain things to get something to look like something else. For example, if ebony wasn't available or affordable, would they use something to darken some wood to look like it (surely they would?) and, if so, what methods/materials would have been available?

Thanks!

Dan

[Andrew V]

Inlay, overlay, wrapping, ebonising, natural stains and dyes, oil-based stains and paint, all manner of wax finishes, even varnishes

[Dan Kary]

Wow, they seemingly could do it all! So I guess just about anything could potentially be period correct...? Interesting!

Thanks for the info!

[Andrew V]

You don’t specify which part of the medieval period. By late gothic/early modern anything goes. My favourite 15th century crossbow is ebonised fruitwood stock with baleen inlays, while at least one royal Mid 15th century crossbow used carved and painted antler inlays with engraved lines filled with black mastic. IAs a sort of guide, if artists were painting with it, and people were dyeing cloth with it, woodworkers would also be using it, I can’t see anyone arguing against stains and ebonising throughout the medieval

[Dan Kary]