I'm looking for some thin rawhide to back a 68 inch hickory selfbow ...Thanks
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Antelope makes some of the thinnest rawhide I have seen and Mike Yancey at Pine hollow Long Bows carries some.
Tracy
I'll use dry hide glue (hot)...What should I use to wrap the rawhide and glue to let it dry tight to limbs ??? Also how long should I let it dry? Thanks
Ace bandage-at least overnight.
Thanks Bjorn ..I was thinking that...Does it stick much ?
What do you think about maybe a thin layer of deer sinew under the rawhide first ...?
One more ??? How long should I soak rawhide in water before I put it on
Thanks for all ansers..I have done bunch of sinew (40 plus years) but this is first for rawhide backing !
If the rawhide is thin enough you may not need a wrap and using hide glue will make this work better. I've not used hide glue for rawhide backings but folks that do say the hide glue has"suck" that draws the rawhide to the wood. I generally use TBIII for rawhide backings and only use a wrap if needed. For wrapping I tear 2" strips of old bed sheets. I keep it on for only about an hour then remove it. At this time I check for air bubbles and glue pockets. If they exist I will make a small slit(parallel to the limb) with a sharp razor to remove the air or excess glue. The slit will self heal.
If you are using the rawhide for protection there is no need for sinew under that. If you are wanting to add zip to your bow use the sinew and not rawhide. Either or but not necessarily both.
I generally put the rawhide in warm water while I prep the bow. It doesn't take it long to become pliable. When I remove the rawhide from the water I wrap it in a towel to remove the excess water before gluing.
TANDY LEATHER HAS RAWHIDE