Skin Along

[DVSHUNTER]

Here is how I like to put on snake skins.

First step get air dried snake skins by removing them from snakes. I'm going to use an anaconda that I have. It is large enough to split and cover both limbs. I like to sand my limbs lightly with 150 grit sandpaper and clean them with denatured alchohol and let them dry.

 

If you are using one skin and need to split it use either a sharp razor blade or a pair of scissors and cut it in half.

 

Now I spread a thin coat of glue onto the back of the bow and spread it with my fingers. Then I let it dry.

 

 

While the titebond3 is drying I take my skin and place it in cool water to make it flexible again.

 

[DVSHUNTER]

After the skins aresoft remove them and pat them dry with a towel.
Take the glue and spread another thin coat onto the back of the bow with your fingers again.

   

Then place the skin on the wet glue and try to line up the pattern how you would like it. Place the skin flesh side down. Run your fingers over it to work out any air bubbles and excess glue.


   

   

The skin should follow all the contours of the back. Use your fingers to push out excess glue and air out the sides of the skin as you smooth out the skin and continue to line up the pattern.Sometimes the snake will have its shed on it still. I remove this now as I go.

   

   

This is not the scales that have to be removed later. Those are single scales, and paper thin.. Some of these may also come off now. The tip of the knife is pointing at some spots that this happened.

   

Next I use a sharp razor to trim some of the extra skin that I don't need. Trim along the edge of the limb. Be sure to leave a little more than needed. It will be removed later with a fine file. Trim around the handle and fades as well.  I use a pair of scissors to trim for length here too.

   

[DVSHUNTER]

[DVSHUNTER]

 

After I'm happy with how the skin looks I simply place it somewhere warm to dry.  Here I put it in my hotbox and set the temp to about 80. Some people like to wrap the skins, but I don't anymore because I have left marks on the skin from the wraps. If the skin is fairly thick I might still wrap it to keep the thing from curling as it dries.

 

That's all I have for now. I'll finish hopefully tomorrow, but that is really all there is to it. Feel free to add anything or some advice.

[jsweka]

Nicely detailed David.
I've only skinned one which was a bow I was building for a friend and I was a little intimidated at the thoughts of doing it, but my buddy insisted on having snake skins on it.  I talked to Mike Yancy about how to do it when I ordered skins from him and he gave me basically the same instructions as you illustrated here.  I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was and how well it turned out.

[Roy from Pa]

Nice Dave..

[Marquero]

Hey DVS,

Thanks for the skin-a-long post.  I'm thinking of trying this out sometime soon.  Just have to find me another cottonmouth skin to match the one I harvested this fall.

One question:  In your first post you say to apply the glue to the bow and let it dry.  In your second post you say to place the re-hydrated skins on the wet glue.  Do you add a second coat of wet glue (on top of the original dry coat) before applying the skins?

Thanks!

Mark

[rainman]

Yes you spread another thin coat on the bow. David says this at the top of the second post.

[Eric Krewson]

I have skinned a bunch of bows and can offer a few suggestions.

1. Cover all of your bow but the back with painters tape, sure cuts the excess glue clean up time.

   

2. Use a glue brush, much easier than fingers and you get a much more even glue application.

No need to put a coat on the back of your bow and let it dry. I dip my glue brush in water and thin the glue both on the back and the skin as I spread it. You don't need much glue to attach a skin just a thin watery coat is plenty as most is squeezed out the sides as you smooth the skin.

This is all the watered down glue I put on a skin, about the same on the bows back. I get very even coverage this way.

   

I agree with you about wrapping a skin, a total waste of time.

[razorback]

That is great guys. I may look into doing this sometime on a bow in the future.

[Roy from Pa]

Ah Eric, I see you use a soldering flux brush like I do:) Dirt cheap, 25 cents at Home Depot... Good thread guys, thanks as I have a rattle snake skin in my future for an Osage self bow.

[Osagetree]

Thanks DV,,, good job!
I don't use anything to wrap them with either. I used to but stopped for the same reasons you did.
I like Erics tip on watering the glue down a bit. I bet it does help a bunch.

Don't know if this was mentioned as I skim through fast due to lack of time....
Be sure and let your bows dry for several days; up to a week before stringing it up. Let that moisture dry out really good!

[soy]

I agree with the no wrapping also I like to "pet" them down. I typically put them on dry unless I have some snake to follow as of yet it seems to work quite well... I do like the brush idea to keep your fingers clean I do believe I will try that next time... thank you

[DVSHUNTER]

The next step is to trim the skins to final size. I use a very fine filefor this.

 

I also use a sharp razor blade as a scraper to touch up the fine areas around the tip overlays. Be sure to remove any extra glue with the skins.

 

 

After the skins is trimmed you can remove the scales that would discolor the finish if not removed. There are several methods for this. One way is to use tape. Take tape of some kind, any tape will do as long as it is sticky, and put it on the bow. Be sure it is firmly on and fitted to the contours of the back. Then simply pull it off.

 

 

 

[DVSHUNTER]

After removing the tape there may still be some scales left. I use my sandpaper conditioning stick to rub them off. A pencil eraser works well also. Rub with the scales not against them to remove the leftovers.

 

I will now use fine sandpaper to smooth the edges and blend in the skin. When I'm done I wipe the skin and bow down with denatured alchohol and I'm ready for finish.

 

[Roy from Pa]

Nice Dave.

[Keenan]

Great buildalong Dave . I agree about the wrap except if you have lumps and bumps. With a nice flat back there is no ne but if it has lumps and bumps you will need to wrap. As the skin drys it will shrink slightly pulling away from the back before the glue is strong enough to hold.
Anothr tip is to leave the bow slightly wide and heavy for weight and sand the edges after the skins are dried. Helps even up the edges.

[Roy from Pa]

I knew ole skinner Keenan would chime it:)

[DVSHUNTER]

His advice sounds fishy.
   

[Roy from Pa]

ROFLMAO............. Heck Dave, that yew stave he sent me even smelled like a tuna boat.. And kin ya imagine what his stave master smells like? I hope he doesn't hunt Grizzly Bears, them bears smell his bow and see them carp skins and he's ah gonner.