Fun with bow backings

[tacticalboxing]

This is for information but also just for fun:
I wanted to put together a list of backing materials, so let's make a list from the most common to the most wacky and everything in between.
Furthermore, it could not also be the material but could include the process.
So let's see how comprehensive and interesting a list that we can come up with.

[PatM]

Air.

[upstatenybowyer]

Air.

That certainly is the easiest to apply! 

Here are a few I've tried and liked...
-fish skin (carp, trout, sheepshead)
-snake skin (rattler, cobra, bull, northern water, garter, rat)
-cherry bark
-yellow birch bark

[Ryan Jacob]

A thin layer of cambium on whitewoods.

[Pat B]

I've used animal print tissue paper, tiger, zebra, giraffe and leopard, strictly decorative but makes for an interesting bow.

[George Tsoukalas]

These days "air is my favorite too.
Rawhide, linen, silk, burlap have their place. Jawge

[backtowood B2W]

I tried really strong brown packaging paper experimental and not on a bow.
Holds up very good and I would trust it holding splinters down.

Actually I harvested some ash,maple and birch. I could strip of nice pieces of the birch bark. It's drying between newspaper and books know. Can anybody tell me how thick you use this as a backing on a bow, as you can delayer it in cigarette paper thick layers? Does it hold down splinters as well, or is it just decoration? I have a roughed out birch with violated back where I want to use birchbark as a backing!
Greets Martin

[tacticalboxing]

Great examples my friends keep 'em coming lol.

[tacticalboxing]

Also, how about hard backings as well as soft backings?

[PatM]

Fishpaper was an old pre glass era backing that you can still buy today.  Essentially it is paper rawhide.

[bjrogg]

I've mostly used air, but I have used white tail rawhide, diamond back rattler and prairie rattler. I have a birch bark backed Osage made by Greg aka Badly Bent that he used some natural color pigments on . I really like the effect and it's different than another snake skin backed bow. I really like Dbar's turkey feather backed bows. They are amazingly beautiful. I also really like Pats animal print tissue paper backed bows. I have some birch bark I want to use this winter. I have zero experience with using it, but my understanding is it's a strong backing if left on the thicker side and from reading old posts sounds like it can even add some draw weight. I'm planning on getting it very thin. Just really using it for effect. I also like fish skin backed bows. I want to do a short sinew baked bow. I shot Paulsemp's 48" sinew backed Osage with a sinew string and really liked it a lot. My bucket list has a sinew  backed with horn on belly in the future. Also have a nice piece of boo I got from Frank at Marshall that's waiting for a bow to mate with.
Lots of possibilities both functional and pleasing to the eye.
Bjrogg

[tacticalboxing]

I have also heard of sheet rock tape, denim, and fiber glass cloth.

[manysteps]

After it's shot in, I'm going to add a turkey feather backing to the bow I'm working on right now... mostly for looks, but from what I've read, it's as tough--or tougher than linen.

[simk]

Hey,

last year I did a 28# Hazel-Warbow with bark-backing (-;

Cheers

[Hawkdancer]

A local bowyer uses mostly fiberglass tape, I believe.  He says it works very well, not primitive, but he is making mostly longbows for "public range use"
Hawkdancer