I'm finishing a 64 inch Osage bow right now that I backed with a big timber rattlesnake skin that my son caught last year here in pa. Alive the snake measures a touch under 50 inches. Tacked out stretched and dried it was over 60 inches. I was able to back the whole bow with this 1 snake by cutting The skin in 1/2 and cheating the 1/2s down the handle a bit.I glued skin on with tight bond 2 Anyway  this big snake has a coarse Scale pattern and I'm wondering if any of You know a way I can fill that in with something in a few coats maybe sanding between to smooth it out? I think I remember someone using superglue In several thin coats or something and sanding between coats before final finishing. Any ideas?

Most remove the scales. Usually before but they can be pulled afterwards also.  This should give you a pretty smooth surface.  Just a bit of masking tape and they will pop right off.  Several coats of Tru oil will make her look beautiful.

Quote from: bucknut on August 30, 2020, 09:53:21 PM
Most remove the scales. Usually before but they can be pulled afterwards also.  This should give you a pretty smooth surface.  Just a bit of masking tape and they will pop right off.  Several coats of Tru oil will make her look beautiful.

The clear part of the scales

Sorry I should have been more clear in original post. I already have the scales off. The holes where scales were and the "flaps" are more pronounced on this skin than others I've dealt with. I was just wondering if anyone knew of something I could apply in coats to smooth it out. I thought I read someone doing this with real thin superglue and sanding between coats. I was just shooting it in yard this am and wondering If maybe I'm worried for nothing and should just seal it up.

I used many coats of Shellac to keep from lifting a scale.
Don't sand or just use 0000 steel wool lightly at first

Here it is

It looks to me like you do not have all the scales off and that is what you are feeling. What did you use to remove the scales?

No the scales are definitely off. I used just my finger nail for the bulk of them. In spots they stayed behind the popped off easily with super fine steel wool. I agree with you it looks like the scales are there but they're gone. 

I have a Timber Rattler skin like that too.  I think mine had recently shed or something..  Definitely different than all my others.  Bob Morrison probably has more skin experience than anyone on here.  You might PM him?

I have put a lot of timber rattlers on bows, they all have a rough skin finish because the scales are so big and leave a hole when they come off. The bigger the snake the rougher the skin.

I just did some large Texas rattlers with a rough skin and I just sanded them with 220 grit then finished with thunderbird . They came out nice and smooth .

I have spread a thin layer of CA (super glue) over timber rattler and cane brake rattle snake skins. Seems to have worked well.