Cherry bark Backing

[bigcountry]

How should someone keep and prepare cherry bark/skin? 

I have some rather long pieces that came off a tree I just cut down that was alive.  Any advise?

Does Cherry bark actually protect the back of a bow?  Or just for looks?  It feels very strong.

[Pat B]

What kind of cherry are you planning to use?
 Choke cherry does add some performance, protection as well as beauty. I'm not aware of any other cherry bark that will work the same.

[bigcountry]

Hmm, not sure what kinda of cherry it is.  I will try to take some pics today.

[bigcountry]

More like this sweet cherry.  Well, the bark looks like the one on this page

http://www.oplin.org/tree/fact%20pages/cherry_sweet/cherry_sweet.html

[Pat B]

That is the correct type of bark. You will see the bark wraps around the tree and is removed from around the tree unlike black cherry, like most other barks, where the bark runs the length of the tree, up and down.

[bigcountry]

Got some real long strips.  Around 30" or more.  Anything I need to do to them before applying to a bow back?  I loved the ones you have done.

[Pat B]

I've never collected cherry bark. Always traded for it.  All I do when I use it is to cut it out to near the limb shape and glue it down with TBIII just like any other backing. I soaked what I had in warm water for a while first to rehydrate it some but the stuff I had was dry.
  Since I used it on  selfbows with their irregular back and the bark is irregular so I use a pressure strip of 1/2" blue board that comformed to theirregulatities.
  Some folks like to remove the lichens and mosses to reveal a beautiful coppery bark underneath. I opted to leave all the "stuff" on the bark as camo. I have done it both ways and like both looks.