Author Topic: help for self bow snake skins.  (Read 2200 times)

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Offline twisted hickory

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help for self bow snake skins.
« on: February 12, 2013, 12:21:27 pm »
Hello,
I am looking for some snake skins for a hickory bow I am building. The question I have is
1. Where is a good place to get a couple of nice skins?
2. Can they be stained/dyed to a grey color?
I would like to have the bow to be grey color and the skins as well. I have seen some picts on this board that look like the skins are dyed or stained grey.
The bow I am making is a gift to myself for graduating RN school  ;) Only 14 weeks to go  O:)
Thanks,
Greg

Offline bigpapa

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Re: help for self bow snake skins.
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2013, 12:51:10 pm »
I would check at some leather supply places. I know tandy has colored skins that are raw on the back.
Our only limitations in life are the ones we put on ourselves!
Dream your dreams, and fly like the eagles!

Offline BowEd

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  • BowEd
Re: help for self bow snake skins.
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2013, 01:24:31 pm »
You kind of get snake skins as the color they are.You can dye the wood underneath the snake skin before applying it.The trading post on this forum should have some snake skns for you.
BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed

Offline dbb

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Re: help for self bow snake skins.
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2013, 06:42:17 pm »
There are a lot of grey snakes out there, e.g many of the watersnakes in the nerodia family is gray/black/and big enough too.
It's better to ask and look like a fool than not to ask and remain one...

Offline seabass

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Re: help for self bow snake skins.
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2013, 07:27:34 pm »
trading post for the skins.some guys use a sharpie marker on the bow before applying the skins.i know black marker will darken the look of the skins.most rattlesnakes have some grey built in.good luck brother.
Middletown,Ohio

Offline Onebowonder

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Re: help for self bow snake skins.
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2013, 08:25:07 pm »
I have a cotton mouth skin that turned out a real pretty grey, but it is fairly short and already has a piece of Osage that intends to wear it.  ;D

I don't however suggest huinting one of those mean beasties for a bow backer.  They are deadly serious, contancerous, and highly poisonous!  I'd have just as soon never harvested the one I had to, but she was danged awful determined to bite thru the ankle of my boot and I figured I preffered she didn't succeed.  Floating flood swollen remote streams will sometimes bring you into contact with such creatures. :o

OneBow

Offline osage outlaw

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Re: help for self bow snake skins.
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2013, 09:10:38 pm »
I plan on dying some black snake skins black before I put them on a bow.  They are already dark but have a slight pattern to them.
I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left

Offline twisted hickory

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Re: help for self bow snake skins.
« Reply #7 on: February 12, 2013, 10:09:41 pm »
Thanks for the suggestions guys.
Keep me posted osage outlaw on how the process works out for ya.
Thanks,

Greg