Catfish skin instead of rawhide for backing

[Brent Hill]

I'm considering rawhide to back my less than perfect osage and I know that most prefer no backing but I'm not that confident yet but I was reading the feret's build along about rawhide backing and he made a small reference to using catfish skin instead.  Anyone have experience doing that?  How did it work and hows it done ? Thanks

[ber643]

I'm almost positive that someonr in the past (before the Bowyers Bench forum was set up) one of our members put catfish backing on his bow (I know there was a thread about it) and seems to my memory it came out great and he showed it. It might still be in the archives - if you put in a search. I know one or more others spoke up about past favorable uses of it also. Hope this helps - if no one else comes on with more specific info.

[ChristopherO]

I don't get much chance to fish anymore but I am keeping my eye open for a large blue catfish or two that someone can get the skin for me.  I think that would be a very beautiful backing.  Could be durable, too, but now as touch as rawhide, I would guess.
I have seen where the men from Tennessee (Pappy's group) backed a hickory wide limb bow with carp skin.  Man, that looked so much better on the bow than it ever did on the fish!

[rainman]

Timo did a buildalong on carpskin backing and he also did a bow with catfish.  He said the catfish was real rough skin.

[Brent Hill]

Thanks for the info.  My neighbor has a stocked pond and my daughter and I can't help but catch tons of the about 1 to 2 ft. long fish.  I was considering taking the skins, drying and scraping them like snakes skins and rehydrating em like the snakeskin and backing the bow with them and wrapping artificle sinew around where the skins meet.  I look at the archives.

[loyd]

i have used it and it works just fine, it is tuff and looks real good. loyd

[scottm]

Any pics of a catfish skin backed bow?

[Brent Hill]

Lloyd did it add any protection like rawhide would or did it just look sharp?  I want a good looking bow but I'm more concerned with a durable backing to overcome my lack of ... skill.  How did you process the skins and apply them.  Like snake skin or rawhide ?  Thanks, Bhill

[John Scifres]

Here's a carp skinned bow I did:    Carp Skinning a Bow  

You'll need to wash the skins with dish soap after scraping.  You can glue them on green. No drying required.  Catfish is thicker than carp so it'll give you some protection.

[scottm]

That really looks neat John.

[getstonedprimitivebowhunt]

Can You put a finish over the skins???? Thanks

[4est trekker]

It seems like you're "fishing" for a backing that will offer some protection against lifting splinters, which rawhide is good for.  However, catfish skin won't offer the same level of protection as say linen, silk, or rawhide.  If you're worried about the integrity of the bow's back, I'd add a simple rawhide backing and THEN put the catfish skins over that.  Just my $0.02.

[John Scifres]

ttt