Originally posted by Gator1:
Fantastic job on the Beaver, I was wondering what was the most challenging? I'd like to give it a go some time..
The hardest part was just working the wrinkles out in the deepest part of the grip. I wouldn't want to do a grip with more "curves" than this one.
You have to soak the tail in warm water for about 10mins.
Dry it off
Wrap the bow in a few layers of saran wrap
Trim the tail ROUGHLY but leave enough extra to play with. The tail will kinda change shape on you as stretches one way and not the other etc.
Keep working it until all the wrinkles are out. Overlaping it where the stiching will be.
Hold it tightly and wrap the tail with more of saran wrap...a few layers
This will set everything in place...I left mine overnight.
Take off the saran wrap and mark where you want to trim off. I went around the edge of the shelf, squared up the bottom. For the seam I made a mark top and bottom took it off and cut it with a staight edge, put it back on then used the egde I cut to mark the tail underneath. This gives you a perfect fit. You may want to cut a 1/16 short so it'll draw together when you stitch, but not too much.
Take it back off, line the ends up and punch your holes, finishing nail works good. I used curved needle and artificial sinew from 3 river but anything will work.
Barge cement on tail and bow, stick it on lace it up. The area right under the lacing I did not use any cement to make it easier to stitch.
Thats it.