Rawhide Backing??????????

[Roy from Pa]

Going to do my first rawhide backing tomorrow on a friends hickory backed osage bow. He got the rawhide from three rivers. Anyone care to give me the run down on how it should be done from start to finish? Glue type, soak in water, wrapping, drying time, etc.. Thanks, Roy

[Art B]

Try this Roy:

http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000036

[PEARL DRUMS]

Im not sure what Arthur's link says. Here is my tried and true recipe Roybert. I clamp both ends of the strips on my bench and sand the hair side with 580 grit until I like the thickness. Then soak it in warm water for 20-30 minutes max. Apply TBIII to the back. I lighty wring water out of my strips then lay the thicker end on my handles center and the thinner end to the tips, do the same for the other limb but overlap 2" at the center. Smooth it down gently so you dont sqeeze all the glue out. I clamp both ends and the center with spring clamps then gently wrap and ace bandage around it being sure the egdes stay curled down. Let it sit for two hours and gently take the wraps off. Let it sit for 24 hours and PRESTO you have flawless rawhide backed bow.....Get to it ol' man!

[Roy from Pa]

Thanks.

[Diamondback59]

roy as pearly say s sames i do file ur edges to move excesses brock

[mwosborn]

Pearl - do you "pre-fit" the strips and cut them to size so they only cover the back of the bow?  Or does it hang over the edges on the sides a bit?  If so, then do you trim the excess off after it dries?  I have never done this before and wanting to give it a try with a hide that I just dried out.  Thanks!

I checked out the link Art listed but the pics won't show up for me.  

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Just let it hang over the edges and trim it with a rasp or file after it dries Mitch

[Osagetree]

Why hide on a HBO?

[Roy from Pa]

Because the grain on the hickory backing scares me. It has some grain swirls on the edge. Do you guys suggest putting rawhide on it?

 

[Art B]

Sorry Roy, but I personally wouldn't have used that piece for a backing. Good luck!

[Roy from Pa]

Ya I know Art, but it's what the guy brought with him. Maybe I should grind it off and get a better piece.

[Art B]

Good hickory backing is hard to come for most of us Roy. I have to order the stuff myself and 'bout half is useless when I get. Even the good looking straight grained stuff. You just got to do a bend/break test to know what you're dealing with. So, got any scrapes laying around to do a test on? If so, and the test piece bends and not snaps, give that backing a try. But if the test piece snaps right now, nothing you can do will save that backing.

But your odds do go up if you can get the bow bending and then rawhide back it. Try a layer of nylon straping tape as a temporary backing and see how far she'll go.

[PEARL DRUMS]

It would probably hold, but why chance it. I woudl put rawhide over it and then skins. He will never know its there. Thin it down good.

Osborn I leave my strips 2" wide and trim the edges with an Exacto knife, then a sanding block with 60 grit then 220 grit to make them appear seamless. I do skins the exact same way minus the ace wraps.

[Roy from Pa]

Whats this bend/break test Art? Just bend it into a U?

[Art B]

Rip up a 1/4" scrap piece and bend Roy. If it does bend into a U then that's what you want. But if it just breaks out right then I wouldn't use it for backing myself.

[PEARL DRUMS]

That will answer the overall health of the backer, but it wont tell you boo about that swirl area holding.

[Roy from Pa]

Ok, thanks ole boy:)

[Art B]

Originally posted by PEARL DRUMS:
That will answer the overall health of the backer, but it wont tell you boo about that swirl area holding.

Experience is the best teacher Pearly    !

[PEARL DRUMS]

If my hard headed self didnt find that out the hard way already!

I have a HBO with a swirl much like that, its still good. I have a HBH with a swirl just like that and it lifted. I wrapped it and it never moved again. Roll the dice Roybert Redford! Nah...just put some rawhide on here. Im really starting to fall in love with rawhide. I see now why the odl timers rawhide backed almost every bow, why not?

[Roy from Pa]

This guy lost his first BBO, I don't want to see him lose his second try. I'm leaning towards grinding the backing off and getting a better piece.