Snake Skin help

[Dave Bowers]

Ok my taxidermist friend hooked me up with some rattler skins. Right now they are salt and frozen. Should I just thaw them, then let'em dry? Or do they need to be tanned before they put on my limbs.
I was never really positive how folks did this, since I've seen fellas put the skins in water to re hydrate them before gluing them to their limb.

Any help would be great.

[2treks]

Thaw and rise out the salt thoroughly. All salt will need to be out of the skin. Then you will glue it on the limb,when it is wet.
good luck, Chuck

[Dave Bowers]

Awesome thanks Chuck, looks like I got a weekend project.

[Pat B]

Be sure to get ALL the salt out of the skins. If not, it will attract moisture and eventually rot your skins.

[Eric Krewson]

Rinse your skins at least 5 or 6 times changing the water each time. I found salted skins take a bit of work to get the salt out of them.

I got some skins I didn't know were salted and found without a proper rinsing the glue won't stick them to a limb.

[John Scifres]

Also, I have had better luck when gluing with Titebond if I let the skins dry out part way after rinsing.  I like them to be moist and pliable but not wet.  I always wrap with a gauze or Ace bandage too.  It works wothout it but my results have been better when I wrap.

[2treks]

Yes John, I agree, damp not wet. Noticed that last night after I made the post. As Eric stated again, and cannot be stressed enough, get ALL the salt out!
  A set of dried skins is what is needed for bow work. Meaning that a tanned or salted skin is not your first choice.
Chuck-

[Dave Bowers]

Gotcha thanks alot fellas, I've thawed them and rinsed them atleast 6 times now. I am letting them soak while I am at work; then I am gonna give a really good rinse 2 or so more times. Tomorrow I'll get'em glued on.

Thanks for the help, I'll get some pics of the bow once they're done.

[Pat B]

After soaking the skins, I roll them up in a towel or paper towel to remove the excess moisture. I also like to add a thin layer of TB glue to the bow's back and let it dry completely. This will help eliminate most of the moisture from the skin and glue from entering the wood. Snake skins will hold the moisture in and without sealing the wood first most of that moisture will be drawn into the wood. I also give the bow a few days(up to a week) after skinning to allow all of the excess moisture to escape. If not, your bow will feel sluggish and slow and with too much stress it can take a set.

[Dave Bowers]

Thanks for the advice Pat, I never thought about moister getting into the bow.

[Pat B]

I made an osage recurve a few years ago that pulled 56#@26". After backing it with snake skin I waited a day, strung the bow and went outside to shoot it. It felt like a wet noodle. Put it on a scale and it was pulling about 42#@26". I unstrung the bow, placed it in my utility room next to the hot water heater for a week and she was back up to 55#@26".

[2treks]

Good point Pat! I always will put at least one or two thin coats of finish on first, then sand with 220.
Chuck

[Dave Bowers]

Well I got'em all glued on and wrapped up. About how long should I wait to trim off the excess? Should I just wait til the week is up to take care of that and removing the loose scales?

[Pat B]

You can unwrap them in a few hours, once the glue sets. It's easier to trim and remove air bubbles and excess glue pockets then. If any air bubbles or glue pockets are under the skin make a pin hole or a small slit in the skin and work the air(or excess glue) out. Let it rest for a few days and you should be OK to trim and sand the edges to prepare for finishing.

[Dave Bowers]

Ok I a good bit of the skins done. My project was to re do a osage self bow an older gentleman gave me about a month ago.

Here what I have done some far.

[Moen]

Cool bow, and nice pattern on the skin.

Moen