Author Topic: ways to use a shark?  (Read 2079 times)

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Offline Aries

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ways to use a shark?
« on: June 07, 2015, 09:46:03 pm »
My family will be visiting port Aransas(texas) towards the end of summer and my wife and I are thinking about shark fishing. Ive been thinking about how to make the most of any catch.
Other than teeth for arrowheads and meat for eating...

Can the skin be used for bow backing? Any other suggestions or advice?
Thanks guys!
Ty
"If the only tool you have is a hammer,
                   you tend to see every problem as a nail."
                               ~Abraham Maslow

Offline osage outlaw

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Re: ways to use a shark?
« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2015, 11:24:31 pm »
A shark skin handle wrap?  Matching quiver?
I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left

Offline Carson (CMB)

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Re: ways to use a shark?
« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2015, 01:16:46 am »
Shark Skin was once used as sandpaper. Not sure if all sharks have suitable hide for that.

Might be able to finish a bow with shark liver oil!  8)
"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

Limbit

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Re: ways to use a shark?
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2015, 01:22:37 am »
Heads up, I just got a five food thresher shark (?maybe?) off the coast of Taiwan and had a hell of a time skinning it. I mean literally, it was hell. It took me hours and hours to do. The skin is super tuff and almost impossible to cut on the first go. Underneath it has a thick layer of sinew and some other sort of strong material. I am not sure if this material can be separated from the 'skin' itself, which is very abrasive. I scrapped it for hours and was only able to get the sinew off it. It is air drying right now. I think it may be too thick to back a bow without gumming up its performance, but I imagine it would make a good strikeplate and an excellent hand guard or a 'no slip' handle wrapping. Let me know how it goes! On the plus side, my aboriginal friends made some great dishes with the meat using chili peppers and celery.

Offline alwayslookin

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Re: ways to use a shark?
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2015, 10:47:41 am »
Make sure u cut the guts out as soon as you land it if you are gonna eat it. Sharks can spoil their meat. Don't know if the skin will work for bows. Never hurts to try might make some cool handle that will feel interesting in the hand.
In all your ways acknowledge  him and he will make your paths straight.

Offline Peacebow_Coos

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Re: ways to use a shark?
« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2015, 09:01:49 pm »
Always wanted to try backing a bow with some, but never had the shark.  You're halfway there!  I imagine different sharks may have different skin thicknesses? 

Offline dylanholderman

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Re: ways to use a shark?
« Reply #6 on: June 08, 2015, 09:37:37 pm »
shark skin has been used for sword grips for a long time, so that's the direction i would lean in.

owlbait

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Re: ways to use a shark?
« Reply #7 on: June 08, 2015, 10:04:23 pm »
I have an armguard made of shark skin. With some determination I'm thinking you could get a handle and or side-plate but mine is probably too thick for a side plate.

Offline mullet

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Re: ways to use a shark?
« Reply #8 on: June 09, 2015, 08:42:55 pm »
Sharks are real tough to skin. The hide is stiff when it dries and will sand the callouses off your hand when you use your bow. :D The good side is if you just scrape it and then air dry like rawhide it doesn't take long before the nasty, fish smell is gone, but will be stiff as one of JW's bisquits, ( Yankees can't cook bisquits ;)). When you catch a shark they start secreting urine through the meat and hide. It's best to just slice them into steaks for the grill and soak them overnite in milk. This helps a lot. And, you have to catch a really big one to get teeth big enough for arrowheads.
Lakeland, Florida
 If you have to pull the trigger, is it really archery?