Rawhide backing ?

[Elktracker]

I was wanting to back a short vine maple bow with rawhide but im not sure if it has to be a certian thickness, glue ect. if you have any good thread links, tips, or info i would much appretiate it. thanks Josh

[Gordon]

It's best to use thin rawhide, especially if you want it to conform nicely to the contours of a vine maple back. I use either goat or deer rawhide for that. For glue, I prefer liquid hide glue, but Titebond white glue works well also.

[Elktracker]

Thanks for the info

[denny]

I have some beautiful elk hide , if you want to trade something for it. or contact me and we can make some other arrangement. Denny P.S. it is the right thickness and better than cowhide or deer in my opinion. Denny

[JW_Halverson]

I've had incredible luck with antelope rawhide.  It's almost as thin as a sheet of typing paper and tougher than...erm, uh, well...rawhide!

There is a guy in the classified ads in PA that sells antelope rawhide strips, his name is Michael Foltmer and is out of Evans Colorado.  I think he gets something like $20 for a pair of strips, but he'll send you a whole speedgoat hide for about $37 and you can back about 5 bows.  The goat hide I got was as big as some of the mule deer hides I get here in South Dakota!