Author Topic: Carp skin for backing ?? (Read 9208 times)

Pappy · « **on:** September 17, 2007, 12:39:28 pm »

Mickey Lotzs left his motorcycle trailer at the farm for a week while he and his wife took a ride,as a gift he gave me a set of carp skins for backing a bow,never used fish shins before and was wondering if you do them just like you would a snake,got a little experience with snake but not fish.Anything I should watch out for or do different.

Pappy

Justin Snyder · « **Reply #1 on:** September 17, 2007, 03:35:35 pm »

Are you sure Mickey "gave" them to you. Smells a little "fishy" to me. OK it was a bad joke, but I'm full of bad jokes. Justin

Pat B · « **Reply #2 on:** September 17, 2007, 05:22:58 pm »

Marc, Tim Ott did an article in The Bowyers Journal a while back about carp skin backings. You might also try TradGand, "How to" section for carp skin backings. Pat

Pat B · « **Reply #3 on:** September 17, 2007, 05:23:42 pm »

I meant Mark or Pappy.

Pat

Pappy · « **Reply #4 on:** September 18, 2007, 05:44:43 am »

Pat these are long and when I unrolled them they look like a snake skin,just wider. :)And
no smell justin.

Pappy

Pat B · « **Reply #5 on:** September 18, 2007, 09:36:33 am »

Pappy, I'd say to do them just as you would snake skins. Carp skins makes for a beautiful bow backing. Pat

Pappy · « **Reply #6 on:** September 18, 2007, 09:50:38 am »

Thanks Pat that is kind of what I thought.Just never seen one backed.
Pappy

Roger · « **Reply #7 on:** September 18, 2007, 02:25:07 pm »

Sinew Backed....

R

Pappy · « **Reply #8 on:** September 19, 2007, 05:54:16 am »

Thanks Roger that looks good.Love to see the rest of the bow.It looks like the skin
is almost transparent.

That is carp over sinew isn't it ?

Pappy

butch · « **Reply #9 on:** September 19, 2007, 07:09:46 am »

i understnd hide and sinew add strengyh to a bow but with these other backings its mostly asthetics, right? the glue should help protect the backing. i ask because i am haveing trouble with splinters on some and i need to make repairs. i havent been boneing my whitewoods, is it important. if im going to back a bow should i bone. i found a large jute patio carpet [8x8] woven with heavy fibers on a curb ,trash, and picked it up. is it worth unraveling for backing. four more questions for some kind soul . alms, almsfor the poor. thank you butch

Roger · « **Reply #10 on:** September 19, 2007, 08:36:07 am »

Thanks Pappy...

If you do a search under the word "fishy", it will bring up a thread with a few pics on it. There is one where I used the "bronze" colored portion of the skins and the other is where it transitions into the silver looking. Hide glue works really well with these.
Don't use too hot of a temp in your water when you de-grease...I almost cooked a set by doing that

R

Pappy · « **Reply #11 on:** September 19, 2007, 10:19:53 am »

That looks great Roger,I can't wait to get them on something.As for you question butch,the skins are for looks althow they will help seal out moisture.I use to bone or we call it burnish but hardly
ever do it anymore,some say it is good and some say not and I ant sure weather it dose any good or not.Roger what do you degrease them with,never done that to snake skins.
Pappy

Calendargirl · « **Reply #12 on:** September 19, 2007, 10:26:39 am »

Pull out your 14.3 issue Pappy, it has several articls on fish skins and one is by Tim Ott

Volume 14 is 2006

Roger · « **Reply #13 on:** September 19, 2007, 11:30:22 am »

Pappy,

I de-grease near bout' everthing I glue on a bow...

I just use a little warm water and Dawn...works like a charm. Rinse well in cool water.

Hint: If yours are Grass Carp...when you apply them the little black skin tags where the scales were attached will kinda be all over the place. Take a damp soft cloth and go over them while still wet and align and arrange them...you'll see. They lay better from head to tail....

R

Pappy · « **Reply #14 on:** September 19, 2007, 01:03:21 pm »

Sounds easy enough,and thanks Marie I just happen to have that issue.

Pappy

Primitive Archer