best glue for snake skin on sinew?

[bradsmith2010]

I have not glued much skake skin on sinew,, I usually paint it,,looking for recommendations,,thanks in advance,,

[Pat B]

Brad, I like hide glue and have been using it exclusively for the last few years. No need to wrap either, the hide glue "sucks" the skin down to the limb...and it's compatible with sinew.

[bradsmith2010]

thank you Pat

[gutpile]

titebond 3 .. its waterproof ... I've used it on about 5 sinew bows and or straight wood bows... excellent... gut

[PatM]

Obviously hide glue gives the most compatible bond but TB gives you a lot of water resistance back-up.

[bradsmith2010]

I will try both ,, good to know there are options,, sometimes I dont have hide glue,,titebond would be easy to get at store too,, without ordering,,thanks for the info,,

[gutpile]

now let me clarify.. when initially laying down the sinew.. 100% hide glue... now for covering sinew with snake skin..I'd go titebond over hide glue just for its moisture and waterproof properties... getting it to suck down on skin is up to you smoothing out the bubbles you would get no matter what type of glue you use.. I size both the sinew backing and the skin... if some runs out you can use a wet rag to wipe up easily... dont go crazy applying the glue but definitely size both... gut

[Pat B]

I've used TBII and TBIII to glue down snake skins over sinew and I've used TBIII as a sealer over snake skins. I now prefer hide glue and I seal the bow with Tru-Oil just like my other bows.

[gutpile]

Ive never used glue over skins Pat...wouldn't that leave a yellowish hue...? interesting... is that because you left scales on skin?... I use tape and remove scales after dried.. then seal with a spar varathane satin finish so it is a dull finish... I've never been a fan of tru oil on a bow... too shiny and takes a long time to dry between coats... when I have used it on my arrow head necklaces.. when I use a wood tongue it does come out nice... scuff with steel wool and the shine is gone... gut

[Pat B]

Gut, it probably does give a slight discoloration but not enough to bother me. I haven't done it in a while.
 I've used Tru-Oil for years on all my bows and to eliminate the shine a quick spray of satin poly will dull it down quickly.
In humid conditions the first coat can take a day or so to dry but once that has dried any additional Tru-Oil added will dry in just a few hours. Over a 3 or 4 day period I can have a good, weather tight finish on my bows and if that finish gets scratched or scuffed up repairs are very simple and quick.

[gutpile]

thats why I love this site.. you guys are so inventive on projects... guess I'm stuck in my ways of doing things.. and avoid outside the box... when you put so much work in projects you stick with what works... I remember breaking my first bow... all that time gone in a split second... first one seemed the toughest .. buried that bow in back yard..LOL... gut...

[Dances with squirrels]

'Buried it in the back yard'. I like that Gut. I respect your respect.

I've burned most all my failures and let downs. I like a nice bow fire in the evening with a glass of good bourbon. 

I've done both to adhere snake skin to sinew... hide glue and wood glue, even good old Elmers Carpenter glue. All worked well, and I actually don't have a preference for that. All we're doing is holding a thin snake skin on... like hanging wallpaper. I get my bows wet on occasion, even soaked and submerged, but I use Thunderbird as the finish and it does it's job. The glue for snake skin hasn't proved a concern for me.

Hide glue does have a natural suck and propensity to attract and adhere to other animal parts, and I appreciate and utilize that natural attraction.... no wrapping with Ace bandages or rubber strips, with snake skins, fish skins, rawhide, sinew, etc. Often it just seems like a better fit. But snake skins? With a good finish applied afterwards? Six of one, half dozen of the other.