Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: hedgeapple on January 11, 2010, 05:05:51 pm
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I have a problem hopefully, some you can give me some suggestions. I egg tanned a deer hide. It's nice and soft, almost to a chamoise cloth feel. I want to use it for a handle wrap for my bow. But, I think it's actually too soft and too moisture absorbant. Staining is easy, but I want to add some stiffness and some water repellant qualities to the hide. What woud be your suggestions?
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Beeswax......I have taken Brain Tanned Deer Hide...and heat beeswax up and rub it into the Hide...when it hardens ...it stiffens the Hide up and waterproofs it in the Process....JMO
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El, would I wrap the handle with the buckskin while the beeswax was drying? I'm needing the buckskin to shrink around the handle.
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Rubbing in some Tite-bond III wood glue would give you a good water resistant grip. It'll stiffen the leather somewhat also. ART
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I have never tried to make it shrink on the Bow before...I have put the Beeswax on with a Hairdryer...to make sure that it soaks all the way through the Deerskin...then sewn it on while it was still warm...and when it dried...it was a snug fit and it hardened some up when the wax set....maybe the Titebond would work better...may shrink it more...I do not know that for sure though
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El, thanks for your honesty. :)
Art, I was just looking at TBIII thinking about using it. I guess I'll need to experiment on some scrap piece to find what I like. Thanks for your all's in put.
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Mix a whole box of strong Tea (tannins) in just enogh water to cover. Put the hide in and wait. Keep it in the house or garage and you'll have stiffer ( kinda bark tanned) leather in bout a week. Normally takes about a month to tan through. It will also stain the leather a med brown.
R.
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Here's one I did a few years back.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y215/Sparky59/Lets%20Bark%20Tan%20deer%20hide/bc16.jpg)
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Roger, beautiful work. I love the beads.
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Thanks...come to think of it mine was a raw hide. Yours should still take some stain. Have you smoked it to waterproof it yet. If not it should take the tannins.
R.
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Roger, no I haven't do anything to stain the buckskin. It still a pretty off-white. But, I've decided to go with rawhide for the grips. I just wasn't getting the results fromt he buckskin I wanted. And, I'm too impatient to wait a week or two to see if I would like the tea stained buckskin. :)
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Rubbing in some Tite-bond III wood glue would give you a good water resistant grip. It'll stiffen the leather somewhat also. ART
I had tried that before, and it came off in one! Are you sure this works??
Roger, that quiver is really nice!!!
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Heavy smoking will give it some waterproofing quality's.Then I would just cut it to size dry,then take a 1/8 of an inch or so off the with,then wet it,stretch it and sew to the handle.It will shrink up tight on the handle.That is how I do it.The smoke will make it a light brown. :) It should dry a little stiffer also. :)
Pappy