Sturgeon skin ?

[Pappy]

I have my latest Osage bow ready to go but want to put on a Sturgeon skin, I have put on many raw hide backings as well as snake skin, even a carp skin or 2 but never done a Sturgeon, do I need to treat it like raw hide ? does it need to be washed with dawn or something similar before I start, does it need to be wrapped after it is put on ? I usually don't wrap Snake or rawhide anymore, also I usually use TB3 , Put a thin coat on the bow and let it dry then add to skin and put it on and work it handle to tip keeping it in line, flat and all the bubbles out until it sets up, of course wet the skin/raw hide before I start laying it on the bow, will this work OK with Sturgeon ?? Thanks in advance for any advice, it is a nice set of skins I was gifted from Weylin at the Classic and have been waiting on a bow I felt was worthy, don't want to mess it up if I can help it, also does it need to be trimmed and fitted pretty close before I put it on ? I usually trim after it is dry on the bow with a fine file down the edges, will this work OK on Sturgeon, I ask all this because this skin seems to be a little thicker than rawhide and snake I am use to working with.
 Pappy

[bjrogg]

I don’t know Pappy. All questions I have to. I’ll be checking back to see just in case some day I have the opportunity to acquire some sturgeon skins.

One other question I’ve had. Do you stain or dye back of bow before applying them. It seems like I have seen different background colors , but I don’t know if that’s the skins or the background.

Bjrogg

[Pappy]

Thanks BJ, I am sure we will get some answers here.  I truly think you treat them like rawhide but just not sure. 
 Pappy

[stuckinthemud]

Maybe try sending Weylin a PM?

[JW_Halverson]

I got a set of those from Weylin, too AND he added in a whole bunch of scraps because I told him I wanted to fool around with laminating it to leather for a knife sheath and maybe even use it in an inlay on a wood box top, or some such stuff. I was quite surprised to find out how danged tough this stuff is! It's like shark hide, but that makes sense, too, considering both are very ancient fishes and both are cartilaginous fish without bones.

And thanks for the teaser, now I am gonna be stalking your posts anticipating seeing the bow you felt was worth the effort of dolling up with sturgeon skins!

[stuckinthemud]

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,2097.0.html

Thought this had been discussed somewhere

[PaSteve]

Weylin has a pretty detailed method on Swiftwood Bows YouTube channel. I wish I had watched it before I did my first Sturgeon skin. Good luck Pappy, I'm sure it will come out great.

[Pappy]

Thanks guys . Not much on U tube , tried to pm him but no response so guess I will do like i normally do, fly by the seat of my paints, it can’t be that much different than raw hide, let y’all know how it turns out. Pappy

[Kidder]

You’re right on with your application suggested. I dye the back of the bow with a black leather dye first as they tend to be translucent. But don’t actually dye the skins, just the bow. Soak them good and wash them good as they are oily. TB3 works fine as with rawhide. Lay down one coat on the bow and let it dry. Then apply another layer and apply the skins working them smooth. Wrap them in a tensor bandage for 30-45 minutes or so and then remove it. At that time you can work out any unnoticed bubbles if necessary. Once dry you can rasp off the edge - I use the side of the rasp and run it down the limb edge more than just in one spot and in that way essentially cut it off. I then clean it up with a fine file. Finally a coat of ca on the edge will seal and harden the edge. Good luck!

[Pappy]

Thanks ,that's my plan.
 Pappy

[TimBo]

Here is Weylin's YouTube link:

ht tps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1krSeuJFkKw

(I broke the https so it isn't a direct link.)

[Pappy]

Thanks, about how i had planned but picked up a few things that he does that I wouldn't have thought of.
 Pappy

[Pappy]

Got them on and they turned out good, about like working with rawhide, just had to be a little more careful keeping the big scale centered while wrapping it up, same as you have to do on snake skin with a pattern. Not near as bad as I thought they would be. Prepping the bow and skins, I did wash them good with dawn and blacked the back of the bow where the skins were going,also added a thin layer of TB on the back of the bow and let it dry, when ready I added another layer of glue to the back ,laid down the skins 1 at a time of course then wrapped in an ace bandage being careful to keep the edges folded down the side of the bow and scales in the center.Strung it backwards a bit as it dried, then took the wrap off in about an hour and put it in the cabin to get good and dry before trimming the sides, for that I used a 49 file to start and then a fine file and sand paper for the final trim. I use TB3 for glue. Like I said about the same as raw hide with a little snake skin backing thrown in.
 Pappy

[JW_Halverson]

Whooooo-weee! Looking good there, Pap!

[Pappy]

Thanks JW, got a few coats of Tru Oil on it now and it really pops , need several more coats and the ends tied but so far happy with the way it is looking.
 Pappy