Author Topic: Tanning shark skin?  (Read 4548 times)

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Offline Cloudfeather

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Tanning shark skin?
« on: December 13, 2012, 07:10:44 pm »
Anyone know anything about tanning shark skin for a bow backing? Or if you even have to actually tan it? My cousin scored me some mako shark skin and I don't want to waste it. I'd imagine that it would be very similar to doing carp or snake(both I've done), but I'd rather be certain.

Offline Hamish

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Re: Tanning shark skin?
« Reply #1 on: December 13, 2012, 09:41:07 pm »
From what I've heard its like backing with rawhide. You  pin it out on a board or other flat surface flesh out, to dry, in strips, or whole hide. I have also heard that you can soak it in a bucket of urine to get rid of the fishy smell, then rinsing in water, but I don't know if it ends up smelling like piss rather than fish as I haven't tried it.
 No need to turn it into leather, though you could do that instead. In that case, I'd salt the skins and then use a tanning solution as you would with any other type of     skin.                                                        Hamish.

Offline sleek

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Re: Tanning shark skin?
« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2012, 01:06:21 am »
I have used it to cover my fishing rod handles. They make fantastic grips. Anyway, use the raw with hide glue, Tighbond, or whatever. Dont tan them, leather makes a crappy backing. And shark skin is stronger than snake or carp fyi.
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