Rawhide ?

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Do any of the sponsors here sell rawhide for building up selfbow handles and making patches for bows?

[Shaun]

Pine Hollow (Mike Yancey)

[Charlie Lamb]

Kris,

Not to take any business away from Mike, but pet stores and even WalMart have dog chew bones made of rawhide.... some really big ones too.

Just soak them in some very warm water until they soften up and then unroll. Tack them to a board if you want them flat.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

I was wondering about that Charlie. I was wanting to get away as cheap as possible for building up handles cause they get covered up anyway.
thanks

[4runr]

Hey Stik,

Check your add in the classifieds.    

Oh, and pm me your address.

[Pat B]

IMO, the dog chews are generally too thick for backing or wraps so you will have to thin it a bit. That can be done with a belt sander while it is tacked down. Be sure to thin from the flesh side.
For the handle go to your local shoe repair shop and get a piece(scrap) of shoe sole leather. You can glue it where you want to build up, saturate it with super glue and when hard shape it how you want. I like to wet the leather first so you can mold it to the shape of the handle. While wet use Tite-bond(or other carpenters glue) to glue it the the handle. Wrap it in place with strips of cloth and let it dry overnight.
  Below is an example of the shoe leather used to pack out the back of a bulbous type handle. Instead of cutting it into an oval I now just cut a rectangle and taper both ends before gluing it down. After the glue has dries and the super glue has dries I rasp and sand it to shape.
 

[Stiks-n-Strings]

That is exactly what I was planning Pat but was gonna do it with rawhide and finish the handle out with overlayed leather and do like you are taliking about. Ought to turn out good, I think I am gonna do the tips with leather to like this.

 thanks 4runr, You guys here at the Gang are great. I only hope to be able to give back as much as I have recieved.

 Pat I really like that broadhead cover and the bow it's on, Sweet looker right there.
Kris

[Pat B]

For packing out the handle the thicker rawhide would work fine. You can but pieces of rawhide(dog chews) that will work and not have to untie the knot. As with the leather, wet it first then shape it to the handle and glue it down with TB glue. After it's dry it will shape with a rasp without adding the super glue.
  I have used super glue saturated leather for tip overlays too. Works well and makes cool looking overlays.  
  The broadhead cover was a gift from Art Butner. Every hunting bow should have one.
  Charlie, wasn't trying to step on your toes. Thanks for all of your advise and guidance here on TradGang!