Snake

[DVSHUNTER]

there was an article in one of the first primitive archer magazines that  suggested the use of urine to clean snake skins. Has anyone else seen this article? I want to say it was in the third  issue. I will check.

[walkabout]

i havent seen that article but ive heard of using urine to shrink leather. the ammonia removes the chemicals from the tanning process and drys out the leather. id imagine it would probably help to shrivel up some of the connective membranes on the skins

[Eric Krewson]

I don't salt them and had a time getting a skin to stick that a friend gave me that had been salted.

I ended up taking the skin off the bow and washing it for about 1/2 hour before I could get the glue to stick on the bow.

I don't wrap my skins with an an ace bandage or gauze while they dry either, waste of time in my opinion because you only put pressure on the sides, not the back.

I spend about 20 minutes a skin pushing it down with my thumbs and working all the excess glue out to the sides and positioning the pattern as perfectly centered as I can.

By the time I have all the excess glue worked out the skin is stuck, partially dry and isn't going anywhere, no need to wrap.

[Bob at Work]

Eric, I have always salted mine and never even thought about it causing a problem...ignorance is bliss...I've skinned dozens of bows with no problem.  I won't use salt the next time though...now that I know better it probably wouldn't work.     I apply them the same as you...just work them until they are well attached and then let them dry.  I  use a file to remove the extra skin after they are dry.  I have a set of beautiful canebrake drying on a new bow right now.
Bob

[walkabout]

ive never used bandages either, just glued 5 inches or so at a time and pushed the bubbles out as i went. salt is one of those things that some swear by, and some despise, i think its really just preference. when backing a bow with the skins though id try to remove as much salt as possible as salt is notorious for soaking up any moisture it possibly can.saw a tech show awhile back about someone out in california that was using salt as a way to remove humidity from air,while producing clean water in the process

[David Holt]

I've only skinned one bow so far.  I salted it but let it soak for a while before I glued it with TBIII.  I think I'll try the 45 minute method next time.  Snakes are about to come out of hiding here in GA and I need a skin for the TB Bow trade!  BTW if you don't want to kill or buy skins, I found that you can order snake skin cotton fabric that looks pretty cool!

[Bow-cephus]

Wow guys thanks for all the help I gotta try this!!!
By the way nice step by step and great lookin bow!!!