I couldn't find any TB at the places I stopped at, so I ended up with gorilla WOOD glue, to glue on the skins on.
I still can't find any birch bark locally, I really wish it grew here! a birch backing with a blacksnake belly would be so cool!
I did decide on a dyed blue cotton handle wrap, I'm either using dyed butchers twine, or some bicycle handle bar wrap. I used the same dye I used to stain the wood.