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Layin down some carp skins

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Timo:
Sometimes as the skins dry there will be some oils come to the top,usually around the handle area where the head of the fish was. I use a straight pin and just poke lil holes in the areas and push out the oils. Might have to do this over a couple of days, wipeing with acetone each time.  Most always the oils will stop. There was one occasion that they never quite leaching and I had to remove the skins,and start over.Those particular skins were from a farm pond that had been fed with fish food.Lots of fat content in those fish.



This is what they look like after drying a couple days. Before and after.





I usually let them dry for a few days before I clean them up. Seems if they aren't completely dry the skins won't file in cleanly.

More later.

Buffalogobbler:
Timo,
Great tutorial!
Makes me want to go bow fishing!
Kevin

Knocker:
Really nice looking backing.  I am looking forward to seeing this finished. 

Thanks,
Keith

Timo:
I use a wide file to clean up the skin edges. With these skins the edges are perty thin,and the pattern can tear if one gets carried away, so I take my time and try to run the file straight down to remove the bulk. If you file against the scale pattern they will sometimes rip upward,makin ya sick quick. :)  Then I go back and chamfer the edges.The angle is personnel preference. This bow has a High crown back so I just kept things perty much at 90 degrees.





I let the skins overide the tip overs.Then I just use a sharp knife to shave the access skin and  clean them up.I'll sand them a bit before I lay down some finish.





We added alot of moisture to this bow during this process, so it will set in the hot box for a few days.I need to shoot it some more, to make sure the tiller is gonna hold, then I'll finish her up.

boo:
Thanks for the tutorial, you made it look easy. I have a question, are you using the skins raw as in straight off the fish? or are you tanning the skin? thanks, boo

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