Dying Snake Skins for a Bow

[Ragnarok Forge]

I have a 63.5 inch Diamondback Rattlesnake skin with the scales on that I plan to back a bow with.  The overall color on that large of a snake is pretty light.  I was wondering if anyone had tried dying a snake skin to darken it a bit and bring out the color pattern.  If so what did you use and how well did it work?  Did you dye it before or after you put it on the bow?  It will look good without the dye, but I think it would look more distinctive if it were a bit darker.

[SecondSeason]

63.5 inch wow where did you get that?  let us know how that turns out as I am starting the snake hunting now that warm weather is here

[Orion]

Probably don't need to dye it if you're putting it on a dark limbed bow, black glass, for example.  It will make the skin appear darker.  I sometimes lightly stain/dye the inside of the skin darker with an alcohol based dye.  That's done before glue-up of course.  Keep in mind that the finish is what really brings out the color.  The skin will look pretty dull, duller yet when you take the scales off, until you finish it.  Good luck.

[Ragnarok Forge]

We have some big ol' rattlers out here in the West.  Eastern Washington has some big boys slithering around.  Popped this big boy in the head with my 22 pistol I keep just for this reason, while I was fishing along the Snake River.  He swam downstream into the little cove I was fishing in.  He seemed determined to leave the river right where I was standing.  With a rock wall behind me I decided lethal force was required.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Orion,

What finish do you like to use?  I have heard that tung oil works.

[Orion]

I've used Helmsman satin spar urathane, available in a spray can from hardware and big box stores.  Have also used Birchwood Casey gun stock finish.  I expect tung oil would work as well.  May take a bit longer to set up.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Darken the back of the bow before adding skins and the skins will look darker.

[Ragnarok Forge]

The skin is going over black glass and the Titebond III should dry clear.  I am thinking that should be dark enough based on the earlier posts.

[Eric Krewson]

These skins were very old and almost white. I dyed the bows back with medium brown leather dye then applied them, the color showed through, the same color you see on the part of the limb without skins.