« previous next »
Pages: [1]

Author Topic: How can I make this rawhide backing pretty?  (Read 2876 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Hunter Van Winkle

  • Member
  • Posts: 58
How can I make this rawhide backing pretty?
« on: September 06, 2012, 05:10:10 pm »
I have a bow that I made for someone, it's hickory backed with 2 parallel strips of rawhide. It's uglier than I thought it'd be.

Painting over it is not an option, it needs to be covered up. Should I use some kind of thin cotton material? Perhaps bark?

What would you do?
Logged

Offline Tom Leemans

  • Member
  • Posts: 524
Re: How can I make this rawhide backing pretty?
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2012, 05:12:53 pm »
Why is painting out? BTW ugly depends on your point of view. You call it ugly. I call it character. :D
Logged

Offline boughnut

  • Member
  • Posts: 154
Re: How can I make this rawhide backing pretty?
« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2012, 05:21:13 pm »
snake skin, fish skin, patterned cloth, plain cloth with give you the same look.  There is nothing wrong with the look of rawhide though I usually just stain it up a bit or use leather dye with faded colors.  but snake or fish skins is always a great way to go.
Logged

Offline Hunter Van Winkle

  • Member
  • Posts: 58
Re: How can I make this rawhide backing pretty?
« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2012, 05:52:46 pm »
The problem is that I used 2 more narrow strips of rawhide side by side lengthwise and I didn't line them up as well as I should have.  If I had 1 wider strip, it would have been much more attractive.

If you were to use cloth, would you cut it to size and then glue it down, or would you oversize it, glue it, and trim it afterwards? What method would give a clean edge?
Logged

Offline PEARL DRUMS

  • Member
  • Posts: 14,079
  • }}}--CK-->
Re: How can I make this rawhide backing pretty?
« Reply #4 on: September 06, 2012, 06:55:09 pm »
Try staining it. Super sweet...
Logged
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline tattoo dave

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,545
  • Rockford, MI
Re: How can I make this rawhide backing pretty?
« Reply #5 on: September 06, 2012, 10:21:42 pm »
Like Tom said, why not paint it? If you put fabric on it, make it a little too big and trim it, after glue dries. Like Pearl said, stain looks sweet too!!

Tattoo Dave
Logged
Rockford, MI

Offline osage outlaw

  • Member
  • Posts: 11,962
Re: How can I make this rawhide backing pretty?
« Reply #6 on: September 06, 2012, 10:46:52 pm »
Wait until tomorrow and check out the stain job that Pearly did on my rawhide backed HHB bow.  It is sweet!
Logged
I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left

Offline JW_Halverson

  • Member
  • Posts: 11,923
Re: How can I make this rawhide backing pretty?
« Reply #7 on: September 06, 2012, 11:17:25 pm »
If the strips were so narrow that you had to put them down side by side down the length of the bow, I guess I would have done a simple stitch that looked like X's down the joint. 

And then I would have called it "Bow of Frankenstein"
Logged
Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

Offline Hunter Van Winkle

  • Member
  • Posts: 58
Re: How can I make this rawhide backing pretty?
« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2012, 01:47:07 am »
I think i'm going to lift the backing and put a wider one on tomorrow. Is goat rawhide too thin?
Logged

Offline Gus

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,829
  • It's Time To Make Some Shavings!
Re: How can I make this rawhide backing pretty?
« Reply #9 on: September 07, 2012, 02:25:14 am »
Goat Rawhide is good...
I have some that I left the hair on...
Waiting till I find a Real Funky piece of wood to inflict it on... :)

-gus
Logged
"I taught him archery everyday, and when he got good at it he throw an arrow at me."

Conroe, TX

Offline Del the cat

  • Member
  • Posts: 8,322
    • Derek Hutchison Native Wood Self Bows
Re: How can I make this rawhide backing pretty?
« Reply #10 on: September 07, 2012, 06:01:33 am »
Stick some false eyelashes and lipstick on it...
It'll look fine to most blokes ::).
Del
Logged
Health warning, these posts may contain traces of nut.

Offline Hunter Van Winkle

  • Member
  • Posts: 58
Re: How can I make this rawhide backing pretty?
« Reply #11 on: September 07, 2012, 11:00:28 am »
Gus, that sounds like a real wild bow, can't wait to see it :)
Logged

Offline JW_Halverson

  • Member
  • Posts: 11,923
Re: How can I make this rawhide backing pretty?
« Reply #12 on: September 07, 2012, 04:26:19 pm »
Quote from: Del the cat on September 07, 2012, 06:01:33 am
Stick some false eyelashes and lipstick on it...
It'll look fine to most blokes ::).
Del


.....or implants. 

The thinnest of all goat rawhides is still more than strong enough for the job.  You will be good to go!
Logged
Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.
Pages: [1]
« previous next »