Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Cloudfeather on December 13, 2012, 07:10:44 pm
-
Anyone know anything about tanning shark skin for a bow backing? Or if you even have to actually tan it? My cousin scored me some mako shark skin and I don't want to waste it. I'd imagine that it would be very similar to doing carp or snake(both I've done), but I'd rather be certain.
-
From what I've heard its like backing with rawhide. You pin it out on a board or other flat surface flesh out, to dry, in strips, or whole hide. I have also heard that you can soak it in a bucket of urine to get rid of the fishy smell, then rinsing in water, but I don't know if it ends up smelling like piss rather than fish as I haven't tried it.
No need to turn it into leather, though you could do that instead. In that case, I'd salt the skins and then use a tanning solution as you would with any other type of skin. Hamish.
-
I have used it to cover my fishing rod handles. They make fantastic grips. Anyway, use the raw with hide glue, Tighbond, or whatever. Dont tan them, leather makes a crappy backing. And shark skin is stronger than snake or carp fyi.