There's a hole in my belly!

[PatM]

I would finish that bow up and not think twice about the back.  That's just me though.  I scraped off the cambium layer on the white wood bows that I have made and never had a problem.  Do whatever you think is best.  It's your bow.

  He wants to draw it more than 25" though. 

[osage outlaw]

Not by much.  The bow is 68" long and he wants to draw it to 27".  I don't think that will be a problem.

[upstatenybowyer]

Outlaw, I like your style. However, lets say I do want to back it... is there any cheaper way to buy rawhide than from 3 rivers?

[osage outlaw]

Trade for it on here. 

[upstatenybowyer]

Anyone ever use rawhide lacing for backing a bow?

[mullet]

Why do you want to use lacing? Rawhide is nothing but scraped and dried deer hide or goat.

[upstatenybowyer]

It's cheaper than strips.

[wizardgoat]

I bought an entire deer rawhide from a local leather supplier for around 80$
Sounds like a lot, but you can back many bows from one hide, as well as lots of scraps
for other things

[bubby]

You know ....It's what "you" want to end up with.....
DBar

Truer words never spoken😉

[upstatenybowyer]

I bought an entire deer rawhide from a local leather supplier for around 80$
Sounds like a lot, but you can back many bows from one hide, as well as lots of scraps
for other things

Smart. I wonder if Santa deals in rawhide. I think I'm on the nice list. 

[osage outlaw]

There is a bunch of whole deer rawhide on the big auction site.

[bradsmith2010]

you can buy a goat rawhide for about 20 dollars,, without the hair even,, it will make alot of strips,,

[Marc St Louis]

I would go ahead and tiller it out even with heat-treating, just don't put a lot of reflex into the bow.  Make sure the bow is given plenty of time to hydrate back up and don't use it in very dry weather

[upstatenybowyer]

I would go ahead and tiller it out even with heat-treating, just don't put a lot of reflex into the bow.  Make sure the bow is given plenty of time to hydrate back up and don't use it in very dry weather

Will do. I'm hoping that with the length, a patient tiller and the low stress heat treating set will be minimal. I will definitely give it time to rehydrate as well. It's dry in my house from heating with wood, but will it rehydrate say in the garage where the humidity is about 65% but it's cold?

[upstatenybowyer]

you can buy a goat rawhide for about 20 dollars,, without the hair even,, it will make alot of strips,,

This sounds like a deal. Where should I look?