Linseed oil is the standard modern bow oil, but not available traditionally in New Guinea and the Solomons. It is an option, from a performance point of view, but I'm interested in trying the traditional solution.
English practice used to be to use a mix of wax, rosin, and tallow (Sir John Smythe, Certain Discourses Military, 1590, wherein he argued for retention of the longbow as a major military weapon). Pig fat could be another option.
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