To skin or not to skin

[Dooley]

Okay, I have the back on my osage stave down to where I want it, and roughing out the shape of the bow.  I have a pair of snake skins I want to back it with when the bow is finished, but not sure what to do about the pin knot lumps.  My question; apply the skins over the lumps, or don't skin and leave the back bare?

[Dano]

When in doubt, skin it!!  

[Pat B]

The skin should be quite subtle(by soaking is warn water) when you glue it down so it should go over and lay down on the knots and humps. You may have to work out air bubbles and excess glue around them.
   The skin is almost the very last thing you want to do. Tiller the bow and shoot it at least 100 times to be sure it will be worthy of the skinning.

[Eric Krewson]

Everyone wants to skin their first bow. Like Pat said, wait until you are satisfied with a bow before committing a good pair of skins to it. Shoot it a bunch, recheck the tiller, make sure there are no hinges or tillering problems, shoot the bow for a while more. If you find the bow to be top notch, proceed with the skins.

I used a nice pair of timber rattlers on about my 3rd bow, a dog of a boat paddle hickory bow that would jar your toe nails off with hand shock. Sure wish I had saved those skins for a better bow.

[bigcountry]

I say go ahead and skin it.  I agree with what Eric says, but its kinda like that first buck you shoot, you want to get it mounted.  Later in life, may not mean as much or make much sense, but you enjoy it at the time.

Lots of skins on bay for 30/pair.

[Dooley]

Thanks for your input fellas'   This is my first bow from a stave, but I've made a fair number of board bows over the years.   The skins are a pair of what I've always called "milk snakes".