longbow snake skin lam

[cUtTiNg EdGe]

how would I go about getting my longbow lamed with snake skin ?????? never really intersted me till I saw one and it looked pretty cool .

[Dano]

Try this little build a long,  http://bowyersworkshop.com/snake.html

[Jason Lester]

There are fake snakeskins that the arrow wrap people make that are awesone and can be removed when your tired of them.

I have put real skins on a recurve and also used the fake versions and I like the fake version for ease of install etc.  

before
 

after
 

[Dano]

It's just that word "fake" that gets to me.  :rolleyes:

[Jason Lester]

Ok Dano "Imatation"  LOL    

[Jason Lester]

Or the real thing

 

[longstick]

Iknow several people who use the fake..including myself and you honestly cant tell it unless you have the bow in your hand

[flitz]

i have been debating over this for awhile myself.
still have not made up my mind.but i would rather
mess up with a 25.00 imatatiom than 50-60 skin
and mess up a bow.

flitz

[stevea]

Jason    Where do you get the fake stuff at ?  
            Thanks  Steve

[BigRonHuntAlot]

LOL I'm with Dano.     I have tried both and nothing beats the real thing.      :D

[cUtTiNg EdGe]

the real thing looks better for what I saw in the pics so how would I go about doing the lam .

[Jason Lester]

stevea
  Try
  fake snake skins  


As for how to do the real ones you basicaly scuff up the fiberglass and glue it down with titebond.  

Get dried skins not tanned.

scuff the fiberglass to give the glue something to hold to.

Rehydrate the skins with warm water. while they sake for a minute spread titebond over the limb.

Get the skin out of the water and smooth off the excess water by pulling it through your fingers. Then lay it on the limb smoothing out any bubbles.

Repeat for other limb.

Let it dry overnight and trim the edges. I usualy sand the edge to make it look nice. Then take tape and pull the scales off. This takes a while sometimes.

Once thats done you can either leave as is and put whatever finish over them you want or lightly sand them so they are smother and then finish them.

Use Titebond 2 or 3 or some other waterproof glue.

Thats basicaly it. I think there are a few how to's on putting on skins. It realy the same for selfbows or recurve/longbows just recurves and longbows are flatter and easier in a way.

If I put skins on a selfbow they are real skins.

[cUtTiNg EdGe]

cool thanks for all the help guys

[Kevin L.]

They're also available from Adam at Arrow Wraps Unlimited. He's a great guy to deal with and even has matching sets of limb Skineeze and arrow wraps, so you can match your arrows to your bow. I personally like the Canebrake rattlers.

[V-Archer]

I used imitation snake skin from Rudderbows on a Ben Pearson Mustang.

V-Archer