Linen or Silk?

[bigcountry]

Goodness, whats the world coming too.  I have looked all around the Baltimore Area for 100% silk or silk thread.  Can't find it.  All I find is silk look alikes, or just plain ole souless polyester.    But I found one store that has 100% linen.  Its 15 dollars a yard.   

I need to back an IPE/Boo bow i have where splinters are starting to raise right at the nodes.  I sanded the nodes too much and think the trapping was a bad idea as splinters are starting to raise on the edges.  I was going to wrap em with sinew, but figured back the whole thing with silk and take it over the sides too to protect the trapped sides.  Then put some snake skins over it, if it stays together.

I am sure there is more too it than just 100% linen for bow backing.  Do you think this is as good as silk?  My wife said she has some nighty clothing made of silk, but I would rather her use that in other ways than my bow.   

Lastly, I really don't want to buy 2 yards of linen to back this bow.  Can I just buy say 1/2 yard, and overlay the linen at the handle in 36" strips?  Or should it be the full 67" long?

Thanks for any advise.

[Pat B]

With cloth, rawhide or snake skins, I prefer two separate pieces overlapped at the handle. It is way easier to deal with. Linen is plenty strong for backing.   If you buy a yard of linen and cut it into 2" strips, it would give you 9 sets of backings for future projects or as trade items. They will cost you less than $2 a set.
   Check out GoodWill or other thrift stores for silk cloths or silk neck ties.

[smokeu]

Yea they will usually let u buy as little or much as you need i bought enough for 2 bows and it was like 4 dollars. Maybe you could use a snake skin that would look good.

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

Cotton will do too,...and you get a wide variety cheap at Walmart

[George Tsoukalas]

Silk dresses will work too. You can wrap seams with thread. jawge

[bigcountry]

I was going thru the TBB's and find they rave about linen, but its the raw fiber type.   Well, if it holds together, I will post pictures.

Sounds like linen is not bad.  Headin to the good will tomorrow. 

[venisonburger]

Go to goodwill.
VB

[Kent D.]

A great place for silk is Goodwill.  Go get some second hand dresses made out of silk.   It will usually have a fruity pattern on it, which you can die iit if you like.  You can get old dresses, 100% silk, for all most nothing.

[wakosama]

I got several linen clothing items at Goodwill, dresses and pants.  All were 100%.  All inexpensive women's items.  All natural tan or neutral colors.