Take Down Sleeve Question

[Bevan R.]

I am going to start a new project, take down bow using the commercial sleeves. I will be backing the bow with rawhide. Do you put the rawhide on the bow before you put the sleeves on or just come up to the sleeve afterword? I thought it made sense to do it before and have it continuous into the sleeves. Help and opinions greatly appreciated.

[gstoneberg]

My only sleeve bow was unbacked.  But, after doing that fitting I cannot imagine doing it while trying to keep a rawhide backing in place.  Certainly others have more experience and can give a better answer, but I would back right up to the sleeve.

George

[bcbull]

hey beeven  long time no see bud    i do  back mine and then fit the sleevs after  iv   got every thing lined up  just befor i glue  the sleeves on hope that helps ya  im bulding a yew take down now and i fit the rawhide after i  had evenything ready to  glue all i got left it to tiller it out brock

[Gaur]

kind of a tough call on that one to me.  I've done a sinew backed osage with snakeskin and I did the sinewing and snakeskin afterwards but then I wrapped sinew on either side of the sleeve to make sure the skins and sinew didn't lift there.   

For bamboo I am now putting horn overlays above the bamboo backing before doing the sleeves as I've had trouble with bamboo backing failing where it enters the sleeve.  By using horn overlays its doesn't mess with the backing.

[broketooth]

you will have to install the bow sleeve first before you back itlike thisafter you install the sleeve then you treat it as a normal one peice stave here is a floor tiller pic