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rawhide cord backing

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TexPat:
Long time reader, first time poster here.

I am fairly new to bow building and am exploring some backing options. I am really interested in cord backing. I know the TBB guys have some anecdotes about backing with silk cord or nylon as a way to shift the neutral plane and take some tension off the back. I was thinking about using some rawhide lacing (1/8, 1/4, or 1/2 inch wide) to loop between the nocks. In theory, it seems like it would dry into some recurve, which could get rid of the need for the winding of the cordage. The only thing I am thinking could be an issue would be the the stretch or recovery properties of rawhide in that configuration. I know people use rawhide with glue in a single layer.

If anybody has any experience with cord backing or rawhide cord backing in particular, I would love to hear your thoughts!

bradsmith2010:
it doesnt sound like a good idea to me,,but have never tried it,, the best way to find out is try it, shoot it through a chronograph and see how it performs,,

Aksel:
TexPat: I think it sounds like a very interesting idea to try. Donīt let opinions of others make up your mind.

Iīll be very interested to see what you find out. Thatīs the whole charm of bow making - to try for yourself and find out and share it with the rest of us. Donīt worry about a chronograph. Once you have made enough bows you will be able to tell if itīs a good idea or not. Also, you never know what ideas you stumble upon along the way.

Iīve been thinking about cable backings myself recently. Might give it a go.

Do it and let us know how itīs going!

bradsmith2010:
yes without a chronograph,, you could make a bow much slower than a self bow,, and not even know,, I guess the upside to that would be,, you wouldnt be discouraged,,

JW_Halverson:
Now, is that actual RAWHIDE, or is it leather lacing? I have no idea how or why, but somehow we dumb Americans started calling tanned leather lacing "rawhide" quite a while back and it aggravates me. Real rawhide will be thin, stiff, and strongly resist being twisted into cordage. Leather will be far softer, show more grain, flexes more easily, and can be corded or braided up.

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