Snake skin backing question.

[Prarie Bowyer]

Are the skins structural in backing a bow or are they purely decorative?  If I wanted to back a bamboo backed bow am I just adding weight? 

If I was making a bow from a hickory or osage board but needed backing would the skin do the trick?

Also is it a pain to skin and dry the skin from a carp?  Does it stink like mad?

[TurtleCreek]

  I haven't worked with snake skin yet, but I have prepped a bunch of carp skin.  It is tedious work, but if you're up to it, it makes a pretty unique backing or laminate for sheaths and other crafts. 

[osage outlaw]

Snake skin is very thin and would provide little if any protection to the back of a bow.  I use them for decoration or to help waterproof a sinew backing.

[Pappy]

Just for looks.
    Pappy

[Prarie Bowyer]

What is the easiest adhesive to put them on with for the best results.  I've seen and read about people using TB2.  TB has a few other products.  One is marketed as clear. 

I guess there are videos but If I understand what is going on then you will coat the back of the bow with the glue and gently lay the dampened skins on the bow, smoothing out any wrinkles.  I'm curious about preventing wrinkles.  Most wood glues (water based) shrink as they dry so wouldn't that cause wrinkles?

[WolfPupTee]

Most wood glues (water based) shrink as they dry so wouldn't that cause wrinkles?

I thought the shrinking would cause the skin to tighten even more over the wood. But I've never done any kind of backing.

[PEARL DRUMS]

TBIII works perfectly. I have done many a bow with TBIII and skins. Not one has peeled or wrinkled.

[MWirwicki]

Cheap Elmer's School glue - TB I, II or III - Hide Glue.  They all work.  When applying over sinew, I like to use the hide glue.  Like Pappy and others said, no structural benefit; just for looks.  Oh, waterproofing also for sinew backings.  Oh, great camouflage also.

[Prarie Bowyer]

"Oh, great camouflage also"~ I bet.

[gstoneberg]

PB, my only problem with wrinkles happened when I put an ace bandage around the bow to hold the snakeskin down and I didn't catch a spot where the bandage pulled the edge of the skin in.  I use TB3 over wood and hide glue over sinew.  It is great camo for sure.

George

[dbb]

I havent backed any bow with snake skin yet,and while i think the usual snakeskins only provide looks and some waterprofing i got some pythonskin that have the feel of rawhide.
Ill bet that will provide some support for the back of the bow as well.

/Mikael

[crooketarrow]

  VERY-VERY LITTLE if any but they do help with water proffing.

[Eric Krewson]

Here is a snake skin how to, leave out the super glue step as it is not necessary.

http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=045038;p=1

I don't recommend wrapping a skinned bow with an Ace bandage while the skin dries. To me this is another old wives tail on bow making that serves no purpose and may yield less than desirable results. Working a skin down for about 15 minutes with your thumbs while the glue sets lets you get perfect pattern alignment, O bubbles under the skin and also get rid of any excess glue.

[Prarie Bowyer]

i got some pythonskin that have the feel of rawhide.
/Mikael

Where did you get those?  Were they pricy?

I'm suprised we aren't seeing mroe python skins coming from florida invasives.

[dbb]

Where did you get those?  Were they pricy?

I'm suprised we aren't seeing mroe python skins coming from florida invasives.

It was for free,i know a lot of people with pet snakes.
This one was put to sleep because of a bad infection and i asked if i could have it.

  VERY-VERY LITTLE if any but they do help with water proffing.

Have you felt a skin from a 14" python,its totaly different from smaller snakes.
This feels like drumskinquality rawhide.

/Mikael