I've only used 1 fabric copperhead skin. Just last year on a Osage bow. My first and last I couldn't stop the fraying. Sucked ended up OK after I but a boarder on each side.
You don't back selfbows. I do but on snake skins now and then but for camo.
Backing a bow only shows you suck at picking stave's ,designs or you need to slow down, shape bows ac oarding, then slowwww downnnnnnn and learn to tiller.
Not cracking on you or anyone else for that matter.
Just saying if you have to back a selfbow your doing something wrong.
Unless your at that stage in your bow building. Or your one of people how just can't write it off and build another bow. You just have to save it. Nothing wrong with that I guess.
Just not my way of looking at and building selfbows.