« previous next »
Pages: [1]

Author Topic: rawhide question  (Read 1495 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline darwin

  • Member
  • Posts: 232
rawhide question
« on: January 25, 2013, 02:10:23 pm »
what weight / thickness of rawhide do you typically use when backing a bow? Or does it even matter?
Logged

Offline Carson (CMB)

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,319
Re: rawhide question
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2013, 02:25:04 pm »
Thinner is better.  For example, deer or goat, rather than elk or cow.    You can reduce thickness with a scraper or belt sander, but to do that without creating very thin spots here and there is difficult.
Logged
"The bow is the old first lyre,
the mono chord, the initial rune of fine art
The humanities grew out from archery as a flower from a seed
No sooner did the soft, sweet note of the bow-string charm the ear of genius than music was born, and from music came poetry and painting and..." Maurice Thompso

Offline PEARL DRUMS

  • Member
  • Posts: 14,079
  • }}}--CK-->
Re: rawhide question
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2013, 02:26:45 pm »
I clamp each end of the strip down and use 80 grit on a sandng block to evenly thin it. Its take some elbow grease, but its worth it.
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 ionicmuffin

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,787
Re: rawhide question
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2013, 02:34:42 pm »
something like the thickness of paperboard is pretty good, maybe a bit thicker for a high draw weight bow, but i think that anything under 60 will probably be fine with paperboard thickness, thats the thickness used on an ERC i did, and the backing held and yet the wood blew before the backing, it was close to 50 lbs.
Logged
Amo innectis arcus- I love crafting bows (latin)

Offline PEARL DRUMS

  • Member
  • Posts: 14,079
  • }}}--CK-->
Re: rawhide question
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2013, 04:20:02 pm »
I thin all mine up to where I can almost see through it. If you ever tried to rip rawhide you will realize its mean stuff that simply doesnt tear, even paper thin. I always look for thin rawhide to save the sanding, but I will take and use just about any of it.
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 JW_Halverson

  • Member
  • Posts: 11,917
Re: rawhide question
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2013, 12:29:29 am »
I get my antelope hides thru a guy that advertises in the classifieds in Primitive Archer Magazine, Michael Foltmer.  His antelope hides are as thin as a business card.  Stuff is tuff as it gets, too!
Logged
Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

Offline Will H

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,120
Re: rawhide question
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2013, 12:34:29 am »
Every time I see a lil yealin deer in the woods I can't help but think RAWHIDE!!! I'm with pearls, see through, thin is good. Does the job with less weight :)
Logged
Proud Member of Twin Oaks Bowhunters
           Clarksville, Tennessee

   "Middle Tennessee is the place to be"
Pages: [1]
« previous next »