ca glue (super glue) over snakeskins ?

[Echatham]

so i was reading an old thread and Eric Krewson posted a great skin-along where he brushed super glue over the skins before applying finish... but then he said to leave that part out and i didn't catch the "why".  so, while i didn't use super glue on the first skinning job, those were copperheads and were alot thinner and smaller scales than the giant timber rattler i just glued up the other day, it seams like it would help to lay down the points where the scales were, as its kinda rough textured and its gonna take alot of coats and alot of sanding to smooth it out.   so anybody have a reason NOT to use super glue?  i just figure there must be a good reason or he wouldn't have said not to do it.

[mikieg]

When I used it on some cainbreaks it ended up real milky looking and almost sapped all the color out of the skins.

[Bowjunkie]

What is the reason for superglue? I never used it and never had any issues with the finish.

[Echatham]

im not sure what the reason is, but i figured there might be one.

[Echatham]

my thinking was that because there were little points hanging.. kinda giving it a fuzzy feeling, that super glue would kinda make everything lay down.  but i just hit it lightly with sandpaper and took those danglies off, cleaned it up pretty good. just put the first coat of tru-oil on.. real heavy and just over the skin.

[Pat B]

Folks used to use super glue over skins but stopped after they cracked across the back. I use only Tru-Oil on all my bows, skinned or not and 5 or 6 coats will give you a pretty smooth back if the shin isn't too coarse.

[Echatham]

Pat its a pretty course skin. 6' rattler.  ill probably end up 7 or 8 coats on the back... we'll see.

[Pat B]

I personally don't mind feeling the scale scars on the back as long as I get a well sealed back. When you buff between coats of Tru-Oil with 0000 steel wool be sure to buff from head to tail to help keep it smooth.

[scrub-buster]

I tried putting CA glue over a set of prairie rattler skins and it left a white haze.  It made the skins look frozen.  I ruined a good set of skins.  I'll never do that again.

[Bowjunkie]

Some snake skins can be very 'waxy' feeling, making it difficult for the finish to get a good grip, so I thought maybe folks used CA to seal off that waxy surface so the finish would adhere better... similar to how it's used to seal off oily woods like cocobolo???

[Pat B]

I don't know why folks used super glue on skins but I've never had problems getting Tru-Oil to stick to any snake or fish skins.

[LESKEN2011]

I followed a build a long done by Gordon F. on the only snake skin I put on a bow. I did the CA glue thing and it turned out perfect. I put on a coat of shellac, though and got lucky, I guess.

[Pat B]

I don't know if the guys that had it crack were using it on glass bows, wood bows or both. It may make a difference.
  I'd trust Gordon's judgment. He knows wood bows as much as anyone I know and builds beautiful bows.

[rainman]

If you start sanding with 300 grit after 3 coats, between coats, you will knock off the little bits of skin and the bow will come out like glass if you want it to.  Usually takes me 10 thin coats of True Oil or Tung oil to get it that smooth.

[Bowjunkie]

Some snake skins are so rough that there is no smoothing them out.

[Echatham]

i got 3 coats on now and its smoothing out pretty good.  i don't mind feeling the texture... i just don't want little tags dangling.

[bigbob2]

Any one got a way of making those artificial skins [cloth] get a bit of shine about them? I 've done couple bows with them as we can't use 'real' snakes skins over here, and they come out flat and dull.Used tru oil, spray poly and still same.