Best color under copperhead skins?

[Stiks-n-Strings]

My next bow is gonn get some sweet copperheads on it. Either a yew or osage bow.

my guestion is what color should I dye the back of the bow to bring out the pattern the best, or should I leave it natural?

Stiks

[Pat B]

I never dye bow backs before skinning them. I prefer the natural color of the wood, no matter what wood it is.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Sounds good Pat.

I had a few smaller skins left after I done a few arrows that snakewood sent me along with the 31"ers.

After seeing all the bows with sections backed and wrapped on the ends I could not resist and put some on my character bow that I will be hunting with.

I'll post some pics tommarow when they are finished up.

Man they really dressed that stick up with the natural collor of the osage!

[Adam Keiper]

I guess I have a different preference than Pat.  I usually use dye or even a sharpie marker to darken bow backs before gluing snakeskins.  Particularly with thin skins, like copperheads, I think it really enhances the scales and pattern over a light, bare wood background.  

Just one tip.  Mask off the belly with tape right to the edge of the back.  That serves as a guide for dying and makes glue cleanup much easier, since none gets on the belly.  

This was the last copperhead skin bow I did.
     
     

     
     

[horseapple]

Pretty nice Adam, my only issue is you dont get or have the true color of the copperhead, is the whole bow stained red? I've always liked your bows, I'll post a pic of a bow I have, its an osage selfbow with copperhead skins on it, built by Dean Torges, shows the colors really well.

[horseapple]

 

[NTD]

I agree with Pat and HorseApple.  If I was backing a whitewood bow with copperheads then I would want to stain the back the color of osage...I think the color of osage under copperheads is gorgeous!

[Stiks-n-Strings]

I just finished putting some tru oil over the skins I put on my character bow. I left it natural and it looks pretty sweet.

Nice looking bow Adam. I like both of them real well. I don't think a guy can go wrong with copperheads on any bow.

[Osagetree]

I like them both!

[Adam Keiper]

Wow, I haven't seen a picture of one of Dean's masterpieces in a while.  Thanks for posting that one JD.  That's gorgeous!


Stiks, there you go, I guess.  You can paste your copperhead beauties on au naturale or enhanced.