Salmon Skins?

[jtbluefeather871]

Has anybody tried this? I was cutting up a nice piece of salmon for supper tonight and as I sliced through the skin had the thought of how tough it was. Then I remembered seeing a carp skin backed bow here somewhere, so I skinned it, scraped it and tacked it to dry on a board in the shop. So my question is, has anybody tried salmon skins? did I do the right thing with it to dry it out? I thought it must be sorta like drying out snake skins.

Boy I ask a lot of questions.  

[Buzz Killington]

Hey, don't feel bad about asking a lot of questions. You're doing a public service. If you ask these questions I don't have to!  

[PEARL DRUMS]

I havent used salmon, but I have carp. You did well fleshing it. The scales gotta go. Im no expert in readying them. Go over to Primitive Archer.com, look up "Turtle Creek". Tell him I sent ya' to him for fish skin advice. He is great dude and will tell you his way of doing it....he is good at it.

[rainman]

It is just like doing snake skins but you will probably want to degrease with Dawn dish soap 2 or 3 times before drying.

[jtbluefeather871]

I actually washed it with Dawn while I cleaned up the cutting board. I figured I'd wash it 'till the scales stopped falling off.     PD- I'm on my way over there now!  Thanks.

[John Scifres]

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,12105.0.html

[jtbluefeather871]

Excellent! Thanks John!

[PEARL DRUMS]

John to the rescue!

[jtbluefeather871]

Just checked it after dinner. Dry already, and feels like the snake skins I have, only harder.  Guess I'll have to get a bow going to use it on!

[fujimo]

a good friend of mine built a holmegard which he backed with salmon skins- he used two per limb. it looked awesome- i think it offers better protection than snake- but maybe not as tough as rawhide.
i will get some pics from him today and post them here, and how he did it.
the advantage of salmon, is that the scales are so fine- we descale our fresh salmon here with a garden hose- no need to take a knife to 'em.

[jtbluefeather871]

I just saw the picture of your buddies bow with the skins.  That looks sweet!  Not too many salmon runs in Minnesota, but a couplle of local grocers sell them with the skin on.  Guess I'll have to do some grilling and skinning and get me some nice skins for my next bow!  Thanks for the pic.

[fujimo]

oops- i geuss i posted the pics in the wrong thread- just thought it was in the bow swap- sorry chap!!
his salmon were store bought too- he currently lives in edmonton.
if you really want some skins- the salmon season is about to start here- but they will all be sea run early in the season- so they will be silver, but later in the fall they will change colour as they start going up the rivers. i am going to be collecting a bunch for myself- i can always get you some too.
i like the look of halibut skins on a bow too- kinda blotchy camo like . and tough like deer rawhide.

[Roy from Pa]

Geeze all these bows are now gonna smell like a tuna boat....    

[adeeden]

This thread has made me decide I need to save some stealhead skins this fall.

[Redonefive]

Now think I'll save some bluegill this spring...  haha     Ron ( Macbow) who helped me build my bow had a longbow with carp on it he'd made...it was different but very neat. I think it would be good camouflage too...  when the salmon are red will it hold that color in the skin when dried?

[jtbluefeather871]

Fujimo, I might just have to take you up on that, THANKS!  Any color is fine with me. I'll try and come up with something to swap you for.