Author Topic: Snake skin help needed!!! (Read 7002 times)

Shondy55 · « **on:** June 13, 2013, 12:06:05 pm »

Hey guys I've been searching the forum and found a lot of different approaches to preparing/applying snake skins to a bow...I have a few questions

1. I have a. Snake in the freezer just got it yesterday and was wondering what to do to preserve it after I skin it and remove and excess flesh?

2. Before or after the skins are applied is it necessary to remove the scales? And if so what is the best way to do that?

3. What is the best finish to apply once the skins are on the bow?

Pappy · « **Reply #1 on:** June 13, 2013, 12:17:49 pm »

Just skin it,flesh it and stretch it out on a board and let it dry,I use thumb tacks but you couls staple it.Then when it is dry,won't take long cut it loose and roll it up.Thats it. You can take the scales off after it is on the bow and dry,at least that's the way I do it,then seal with Tru oil buff light between coats with 000 steel wood, from head to tail,keep coating it untill it is smooth,depending on the snake,some take a lot on some not so much. Alos I glue mine on with TB3.
Pappy

wildkatt · « **Reply #2 on:** June 13, 2013, 12:55:16 pm »

Yep thats how i do it.

Katt

Shondy55 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 13, 2013, 02:47:21 pm »

Thanks pappy, what is the best way to remove the scales? I heard that duct tape works pretty well

Marks · « **Reply #4 on:** June 13, 2013, 04:14:53 pm »

My mind is blown. I didn't know you could remove snake scales. I thought the scales were the skin. I kinda laughed when I saw the question and then felt dumb when I saw the answer.

Thesquirrelslinger · « **Reply #5 on:** June 13, 2013, 09:31:40 pm »

Put some acetone or lacquer thinner on a rag, rub against the grain of the scales after the glue dries. They should come off.

osage outlaw · « **Reply #6 on:** June 13, 2013, 11:02:46 pm »

Squirrelslinger, have you backed a bow with snake skins before? Is that how you removed the scales?

Painters or masking tape will easily remove snake scales.

Gordon · « **Reply #7 on:** June 14, 2013, 12:00:28 am »

Rub the skins lightly with coarse steel wood in the direction of the scales and they will come flying off. I then use my finger to remove any stragglers. I don't like using duct tape because it can rip the skin if you are not careful.

soy · « **Reply #8 on:** June 14, 2013, 12:05:19 am »

painters tape mailing tape boxing tape masking tapepretty much any type of tape sometimes you have to do it a few times to get them all and pick of the stragglers with a fingernail.....I don't know about acetone or lacquer thinner but I have used denatured alcohol to clean off any oil but not really needed from what I hear...any chemical has the potential for adverse effects on both the glue and the skin...imho

osage outlaw · « **Reply #9 on:** June 14, 2013, 01:26:37 am »

A pencil eraser works great for getting the stragglers off.

Thesquirrelslinger · « **Reply #10 on:** June 14, 2013, 01:46:55 am »

Quote from: osage outlaw on June 13, 2013, 11:02:46 pm

Squirrelslinger, have you backed a bow with snake skins before? Is that how you removed the scales?

Painters or masking tape will easily remove snake scales.

I have removed scales from a snake skin using that method 6 times- never a bow though. I like it better than tape even though its more work cause I usually don't have tape(minus electrical tape).

Gordon · « **Reply #11 on:** June 14, 2013, 02:47:46 am »

Quote

A pencil eraser works great for getting the stragglers off

Hmm, I'll have to try that. Thanks!

Pappy · « **Reply #12 on:** June 14, 2013, 06:19:08 am »

I do it like Gordon,

I have tried the tape thing but ripped a skin once so I don't do that ant more, and I never rub against the grain,I always rub head to tail even when sealing it if I am using rub on sealer.

Pappy

wildman · « **Reply #13 on:** June 14, 2013, 01:07:21 pm »

After I skin the hide I put it in enough 50/50 antifreeze to cover the whole skin for about three days. This will tan the hide instead of making snake rawhide,it becomes much more pliable and not as easy to rip. I use masking tape to remove the scales. I have used TB3 as well as Locite to glue the skins on. Good luck!

Thesquirrelslinger · « **Reply #14 on:** June 14, 2013, 01:08:34 pm »

Quote from: wildman on June 14, 2013, 01:07:21 pm

After I skin the hide I put it in enough 50/50 antifreeze to cover the whole skin for about three days. This will tan the hide instead of making snake rawhide,it becomes much more pliable and not as easy to rip. I use masking tape to remove the scales. I have used TB3 as well as Locite to glue the skins on. Good luck!

That is quite intersting. Would this work on other skins too?

Primitive Archer