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preparing sturgeon skins

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white wood:
hi guys i got a pair of sturgeon skins last week and am wondering how to prep them for use. they are both long enough to do a full limb but only the top of each skin has the really dark skin with white spots. in the middle theres the row of big sharkstooth looking scales. if i cut these down and sand them could this part be incorporated into the part i use? also do you sand the top of the skin before you  apply tru oil for the finish? is this the best finish for sturgeon? and lastly do you stain the bows back a dark color before applying the skin? thanks for any help i can get, -jesse

Pat B:
Jesse, I've never worked with sturgeon skins but the bows I've seen with it on had only the spotted skin on them. I would think that the heavy scales along the side would be too much trouble to try to remove.  Also, I think the skins are thick enough to where you should not have to worry about a bright bow back shineing through so no need to stain the back first.
   I guess you would treat these skins like snake skins and either put them down green or dry them and rehydrate them to apply. If the skins are very oily, you might soak them in a mixture of water and denatured alcohol to degrease.   Pat

Keenan:
 Jesse, You need to flesh out the skins and dry them first. Sturgeon can be very oily and the oil will leach out while drying. The big scales in the middle is the center line of the fish with the darker part being the top. you can keep the big center scales on but it is easiest to work if removed. This is because sometimes there is sometimes fatty tissue between the scale and the skin that is trapped when not removed and can take forever to dry and also contains alot of oils. You can take a filet knife and carefully cut right under the scale and remove the whole strip.When done right you will actually end up with a strip of the scales all conected together that you can let dry like that. Where you remove the scales will still have skin but will be slightly thinner and will be tranparent when dryed. Some people use the diamaond pattern down the center of the bow that way. However I prefer to use the upper portion of that is darker. If the skin is big enough you can also use the lower side that will be lighter and more transparent.
 Do not sand the skin. The little white specs are actually a scale (bone platelet) that if sanded will dislodge from the skin if sanded.Also I would not put any finish on the wood prier because it can sometimes afect the adheretion of the skin.
  To dry the skin Do not salt this retains moisture in fish skins and will not cure it. Just scrape the flesh off the inside and then staple or nail to a board.  If you use a 2x6 and put the scale side down this will grab the wood and aid in the fleshing process.
 Also you will notice that there is cartilage rings that will be hard to remove from the skin. Start by scraping from the center of the skin towards the outside edge. and with the cartilage rings, not across. They will come off easier.Use a slightly dull knife that is some what rounded on the blade and push towards the sides from the center out this will break the flesh away from the skin without cutting it.
 When you have them fleshed out the staple or nail them to some plywood. Start by stapeling one end (flesh side out)then stretch and staple the other end. Then work down one edge while stretching slightly to pull the diamond pattern into a slight arch. When you stretch and staple the opposite side that will pull the diamond pattern into a straight line.
  Let dry untill the oils start coming to the surface. As thge skin drys it will shrink and the oils wil be forced out of the skin.  I usually will stand the plywood vertically to alow them to run out.  When this happens take some accetone and wipe the skins down to remove the surface oil. Repeat this process for several days.
  When dried, take a razor blade and cut just insde the staples and your skin will cut out like a sheet of paper. This is alot easier then trying to pull stapples.    Roll it up to store and keep away from critters. Mice will have them gone in no time if they can get to them.
  When I get ready to use them I rehydrate with sinew glue untill they are pliable.  Hope that helps,    Keenan
 

BryanB:
The skins can be a real bear to clean.  I have found that putting them on a board, stepping on the tail, and power washing them is by far the most effective way possible.  Virtually all the oil, flesh, etc. is blown away.  Then staple and let dry.  If it is still cool out, I put a rotating fan on them to help the drying.  The large bony scales down the middle look cool, however I believe they are very stiff and add unnecessary mass to the limbs.  Good Luck.
Bryan

duffontap:
Brian,

Powerwashing is a great idea.  I've just started using a powerwasher to clean up winter-cut staves.  I'll start a new post with a few pics.  Thanks for your contribution to my repertoire.

Keenan, you just wrote the book on preparing sturgeon skins. 

             J. D. Duff

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