Help with handle to snake skin transition.

[jmar595]

I need help figuring out what to do for a transition. The handle will be beavertail.

   

   

[Pat B]

Can you get the handle wrap over the end of the skins?

[jmar595]

No, it is about big enough to go where I drew out.

[rainman]

Stain the wood the same color as the beaver tail, or do you have any scrap copperhead skin left you could splice that in.  Black snake might work also.

[Pat B]

If you have some scraps of the snake skin you can splice in the missing sections or add a decorative wrap.

[scrub-buster]

You could paint the back of the bow black in that blank area.  Or wrap it with some small diameter jute twine and soak it with TB glue.  What about making a V shape out of leftover beaver tail scraps

[jmar595]

I was going to put a piece of bone and horn over that. I saw that somewhere online. It's just not looking right. I think it may look too long adding beavertail below it. I want it to look intentional.

[Mo_coon-catcher]

You could cut the skins into points leaving a little gap between the handle wrap and the skin. Then leave a gap, paint in a decoration in the gap, wrap fill the gap, or inlay a piece of something like bone wood or horn in the gap. Something like a little triangle, a diamond, a circle or anything that makes you happy. There's lots of choices. It's just what looks best to you. Even a fur wrap on either side of the handle wrap wouldn't look bad.

My personal preference since its in a non ending area. Would be to inlay a piece of something into the gap. Since beaver tail is black and the skins are dark, I would go with a small piece of bone or antler for a contrasting transition. Cutting te skin cleanly square or to a point. Just got slow and tedious with a chisel and it'll go fine. And keep some sandings and thin super glue handy incase it chips out a little or the hole gets a little large.

Kyle

[Pat B]

When I apply skins or even rawhide I start it in the center of the handle and leave the limb tips bare if necessary.

[Bob at Work]

add rattles in the gap?  or a little piece of snakeskin...

[Bvas]

What if you put your wood, antler, horn, or whatever on then cut the skin back say 1/4-1/2" evenly back from the piece. That way it would give you room to sand and blend and it seem as though the piece was there first and the skins were cut around it.

[jmar595]

I was going to put a piece of bone and horn over that. I saw that somewhere online. It's just not looking right. I think it may look too long adding beavertail below it. I want it to look intentional.