Question about rawhide and sturgeon skins...

[Cloudfeather]

I've been picking at this yew flatbow, 64" long ttt, shooting for 55-60lbs at 28". I've got it straightened out, twist taken out, about to do the recurves pretty soon. I'm planning on backing it due to ring violations(I know, I can make it a self bow but I'm being cautious with my first yew build). I have rawhide and sturgeon skins. I know the sturgeon skins are thick enough to act as a protective backing but I am considering doing rawhide, tillering, then adding the sturgeon skins.

Is there any drastic disadvantage to having both backings on this bow? I'm a bit leery of putting sturgeon skins on as the protective backing before it's tillered out. I'm interested to hear what everyone else has to say on the subject. Thanks, guys.

[bradsmith2010]

it would not hurt the bow to have the two backings,,,
the only disatvantage I can think of is it might add a bit of weight and reduce your cast a bit,,
but weigh the sturgeon skin, and if it is not heavy it might not hurt the performance,,,, especially if the rawhide you use is very thin as well,, like deer or thin goat,,
I have shots bows through the chrono,, and then put rawhide on with very little loss of cast if any,, nothing that using two less strands of string would not off set,, or just a slightly lighter arrow,, etc etc etc,,
I have not used sturgeon,, but could you sand it very thin like a snake skin,,???

[Cloudfeather]

The rawhide I have is quite thin. I could send it down a bit after tillering before I put the sturgeon on. The loss of cast was my main concern, but I'm probably being knit picky. Sanding the rawhide and using fast flight should keep it snappy, I hope. Lol

[PatM]

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,57477.msg792219.html#msg792219

[Dances with squirrels]

I'd use just the sturgeon skin, not both. Sturgeon skin is every bit as good as rawhide to protect the back and it looks better.

[Cloudfeather]

My hesitation isn't with the skin's ability to protect the back of the bow. It's using them and having the bow break or something else afterward. Lol

[PatM]

If they are tough enough to work for back protection you just have to take the leap.

[BowEd]

It's either the skins or a thin layer of sinew to calm your worries.I don't own any yew here myself so I can see what you mean.

[Cloudfeather]

I think my best compromise that I can come up with is to rawhide back the bow, tiller it, then sand the rawhide a bit thinner before putting the sturgeon on. I'd be heart broken to break a piece of , but it would be even worse to lose the skins with it. I think sacrificing a tiny bit of performance is worth it. Maybe I'm just being a chicken. I dunno. Lol

[PatM]

Or you could use hide glue to rawhide it for tillering and initial shooting and then remove that with moisture and heat and switch to the strurgeon.

[bradsmith2010]

I like that idea Pat,, very creative,,