Lake Trout Skins?

[bjrogg]

Thanks omha2 have airbrush might have to give it a try
Bjrogg

[DC]

You might look at some fish taxidermy sites to get some clues on airbrushing fish skins. Do you have internet in your tractor? Air con? Beer fridge?

[bjrogg]

Air and my cell phone. Smart phone Really made my world bigger DC. Have a radio but hardly ever listen to it.No fridge yet. Actually I'm working in shop today. Finished planting at least the first time. Really getting very dry here. I planted the edible beans very deep. Hope they make it. Some still aren't going to be in the moisture. Still lot of spraying and putting nitrogen on. Might get a slight break around the end of June before we have to get ready for wheat harvest. It sure beats hoeing sugar beets and baling hay and straw, milking cows all the good jobs I had growing up. Things have sure changed but I'm still glad I grew up where and when I did.
I have a Van Dykes catalog but probably some you tube videos on fish taxidermy might help. Of course it really doesn't have to be exactly same as any fish. Could be whatever I want it to be.
Bjrogg

[Rākau]

Bjrogg,

Hey bro, stoked that you started this thread! Down here in New Zealand we don't have any snakes, and I've been thinking about alternatives for a while and just landed on the idea of fish skins a couple of weeks ago too.

I have "tanned" (urine) a few fish skins before from quite a few different species with varyied results in terms of colour retention in the finished product, any fish that were red or orange while alive (some australian species from when I was working over there) seem to turn a boring white once the scales are removed. But species that were darker coloured when alive, so generally the temperate species, seemed to retain their colour quite well and seemed to have thicker skin in general. Also I found that fish with medium sized scales tend to have the coolest scale pocket pattern once the scales are removed.

Hope this helps, I will put some photos up of some fish skins I've done so you can get an idea of how varied the end product can be, I reckon it will make an awesome looking backing! (what would I know, I've only made one bow)

also does anyone have photos of bows that have been backed by fish skins?

Zach

[bjrogg]

Thanks Zach and welcome to PA. I know there are some very nice looking bows backed with fish skins. I seen some stunning Sturgeon and charp. Most are just air dried skins washed in dawn dishwashing detergent to remove oils. If tanned it I believe it needs to be with something that doesn't effect the glue. Thinking urine probably wouldn't as long as rest of oil were washed off good. Like I previously said though I've never done fish skins just snake. I'd love to see more pictures to. I do remember a thread a year or two Back titled something like your favorite backings. Was a pretty interesting thread.
Bjrogg