Has anyone tried using jute ribbon to back a board bow?  Wondering if it would work as well as cloth or such.  

I', not familiar with jute ribbon but I know jute fibers combed straight will work.

Jute ribbon is just cross woven jute/burlap strapping. It's made in various widths. I use it for straps on my burlap foraging sacks. It can be found in most craft stores. It varies greatly in density/threads per inch and overall quality.

I think its benefits would be minimal on a bow. Surely it would help protect a bow's back from scrapes and dings, but I don't think it would hold down a splinter as well as a rawhide backing. In general, it seems light and relatively strong and I'm guessing it would be a better thing to back a bow with than some of the things I've seen used.

I've never used jute for bow backing. To me, it is too absorbent and would hold too much glue and that would slow the limb recovery.

Thanks to all for the input.