Scales on or off?

[maitus]

Texas rattlesnake?

[Pat B]

Off! You can use tape to get them off or rub with your thumb or thumb nail. Go gently as not to tear the skin.

[Jakesnyder]

I've used duct tape. Just put duct tape across the scale side and peel it off. Most of the scales should come off with the tape. If not repeat.

[Kidder]

If you were to leave them on you’d have to coat the entire thing in CA otherwise they would come off here and there and bring your finish with them. I’d recommend taking them off before you apply the skins as you risk getting glue on the edges and having difficulty after. Big Jim has a pretty good video on applying them (although to his beautiful but not very primitive bows).

[Pat B]

Don't use CA(super glue) on them or they will crack when the limbs bend.

[maitus]

Thank You guys. I have taken scales of the boa skin with lime. Like the hair from goat skin. Soaking over night is enough and you can sweep scales off with finger like a dirt. But some snake skins turn very ugly and expressionless after removing the scales. They will look just like a black tape .

[bentstick54]

I’ve done three bows, 2 diamondback and 1 copperhead. I used blue painters tape on the limb edges to make excess glue clean up easier, left skins full width when glued down. When dry, I pulled tape off, used a single edge razor blade to trim excess skin off, then used a sanding block to final sand down skin edge and any glue that might have been left. Then I used clear boxing tape or duct tape I had on hand to lift off all the scales before applying Truoil finish to bow. Worked great. I used Titebond 3 to glue skins down.

[maitus]

Glueing the snake skin on to the bow back is no problem. I'm more worried about how the skin will look after removing the scales . Boa will look great but what about rattlesnake?

[Kidder]

Don't use CA(super glue) on them or they will crack when the limbs bend.

There I go repeating what I’ve heard without experience...needed to be set straight - thanks Pat!

[gutpile]

I always remove scales AFTER they have been applied to bow.. easy with tape.. I use a fine rasp to clean edges not a razor as a rasp leave them perfect and  tapered to limb not straight cut.. any edge that lifts can easily be re glued ..always size the back of bow first before applying skin..I use TTB III for all my skin jobs.. I have even used a tanned skin.. absolutely the best looking canebreak of all.. I soaked it in dawn dishwashing liquid for about 6 hours. them wringed it out set aside on a board not stretched and tacked it down ..once dried I soaked in water before putting on a kodiak magnum ... it looks incredible.. gut

[bentstick54]

Marius, rattlesnake looks great with scales remove. These have 4 or 5 coats of Truoil on after scales remove. The 2 with diamondbacks have a light coat of satin spray poly on as a final coat to dull the finish for hunting. The copperhead has 5 coats of Truoil but no poly beacause it I started a 35# target bow.

[bradsmith2010]

scales off show the color better,,

[maitus]

Marius, rattlesnake looks great with scales remove. These have 4 or 5 coats of Truoil on after scales remove. The 2 with diamondbacks have a light coat of satin spray poly on as a final coat to dull the finish for hunting. The copperhead has 5 coats of Truoil but no poly beacause it I started a 35# target bow.

That's the answer to my question . Thank You!

[Pat B]

Maitus, the scale coverings should be removed. They are transparent or translucent and will discolor if left on the skin. The scale scars on the skin is where the color is. If you have ever seen a snake right after it has shed it's skin, the color is at it's brightest, most colorful. This is similar to what happens when you remove the scale covers.

[Fox]

The pattern isn’t on the scales it’s on the skin as well???