Where can I get thin rawhide for backing a bow?

[FlintWalker]

My cousin just finished his first Osage selfbow and after a few shots it raised a small splinter on the back. Just to be on the safe side we want to back it with rawhide. Anybody know a good source for thin rawhide? Thanks in advance, Shannon

[cowboy]

Best way is to kill a doe. If that's not an option, theirs a lot of guys on here that like a good trade .

[Pat B]

Shannon, I can send you some. How long is the bow?    Pat

[FlintWalker]

It's 60" ntn and 1-1/2" wide. We first thought about wrapping it with sinew but he was kinda careless with the back so I told him he would be better off to back it just to be safe.
  If we ever get this one to stay together, we're gonna call it "Patch". Not only was he careless with the back, he got a little scraper crazy and caused a hinge about 10" from one of the limb tips and all the reflex I added pulled out. I tried to heat and bent it back but it developed a big crack all the way across and about 1/8" deep, probably a fret I didn't see before heating it. I thought it was a lost, but I cut 2" off each limb to move the hinge into the non bending part of the limb and I glued a thin shim of osage on the belly to stiffen it up.
 It is the best shooting bow i've ever had a hand in making and I really want it to hold together. I considered sinew but it already pulls about 60# and he doesn't want or need any more weight. If we back it with rawhide what would you do about this little knot on the back? Could we flatten it out some ?
  Here is a couple pics of the patch. If you look you can see the crack about the middle of the patch.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Pat B]

With the knot on the back you could rasp it flat(or make it a flatter hump) before adding the rawhide or cut a small hole in the rawhide to go over the knot. On the 60" osage static I built a few months back and backed with the leopard print tissue I flattened(slightly rounded) all the knots and pin knots so the rawhide backing, below the leopard print, would lay flatter over the limbs. I used TBIII glue for mine but hide glue would also be a good choice.
   I'll try to get the rawhide out in the next day or 2. Please e-mail me(or PM) with your address. I have it somewhere but I know not where.      Pat