One snake skin per limb?

[killinstuff]

Just wondering if you all use one skin per limb on a T/D when skinning a bow? My skins are 5" wide and the limbs are no more than 1 3/8" wide.  Do you ready throw away 2/3's of a skin? These are water snake skins by the way.

Thanks,

CJ

[Dan Landis]

I believe most use one skin per limb so the pattern can be centered, which give you the best look.  I'm not familar with water snake skins and their pattern.  If the pattern is wide enough I suppose you could do it with one skin.  I did an osage self bow with one rattlesnake skin and it turned out ok.  The limbs were only 1-1/4" at the fades, and the snake was over 50" long though.  I also used the left over pcs. for handle wraps and accents, nothing goes to waste......Dan

[Art B]

I've used one wide skin for a bow. Cut it down the middle and glued it down. Course, I'm not that particular with such matters any how. Give it a go if you're not either.

[Pat B]

I have split a timber rattele down the middle and put a half on each limb. As long as the pattern can be split it will look OK.
 Even with longer skins I cut them in half and glue half to each limb. I did this with the 53" sinew backed osage I just finished with a coach wihip snake skin. I like to have the scale points going towards the tips.

[Walt Francis]

To keep the pattern centered, I usually use one skin for each limb.  On a couple of python backed bows I split the the skin because the skin was wide enough and the pattern wasn't symmetrical; both those bows looked great.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I use 1 skin per limb mainly for the reasons that Walt just mentioned. I want the pattern as perfectly centered as possible. I always save the scrap pieces for arrow wraps and such. Like Don said, nothing goes to waste and I have a really hard time throwing anything like that away cause as soon as I do I'll need it for something else.
Bottom line is how picky you are, and I may be a bit too picky but I figure when it comes to skinning a bow that you want to look perfect and other people to admire your handy work, there's no such thing as too picky. Just my 2 cents.

[YORNOC]

Also, some skins have remarkable patterns towards the tail or the head. Rattlenakes and bulls for example have great striping towards the tail end but the bulls have a black pattern at the head which(in my opinion) isn't as striking. So although a big bull will easily do two limbs, I like two smaller buls to get the tail striping on both limbs. Here's some examples:

Tail stripes on this pair of rattlesnakes was incredible. Using two whole skins gave these stripes on both limbs.

 

This timber COULD be split, but I'd center it and use the outsides to adorn a quiver or knife sheath. When snakes get this big, its tough to use on arrows.
 

This bull shows the black scaling at the head and the striping at the tail. Although a phenominal skin in itself, On a longbow I think it looks better with both limbs having tail stripes.
 
 

Heres a shot of a limb with the black bull scaling from trhe head, still looks cool I must admit, I just really like those tail stripes.

 

[Bruce Martin]

I know its a bit off topic, but how do you use skin remnants on bow quivers and such. Glue with hide glue and finish with a sealant of some kind?

[YORNOC]

Depending on the skin and leather type, it could be hide glue, super glue, titebong, barge cement, etc. Gotta match the adhesive to the application. I like to seal it then with an acrylic leather sealer, then butchers wax.  Wears like iron.
 Sometimes just some mink oil or pitch blend type paste works wonders as a top coat.