Author Topic: Sturgeon backing question  (Read 985 times)

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Offline Puckaway

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Sturgeon backing question
« on: October 19, 2017, 10:46:42 am »
I've had some sturgeon backing strips squirreled away in the freezer for a while now so I decided to finally use a couple. I thawed them, fleshed them and then rinsed them multiple times with a shot of lysol concentrate in water to degrease followed by more rinses and a final rinse in dawn dishsoap and warm water. I tacked them to a board for a few days and wiped them down with denatured alcohol to remove any oil residue coming out of the skins. I then rehydrated them and glued them to the back of a just finnished hickory bow with TB3. The bow was fully tillered and shot in. Now the bow is 66" and I've applied the skins from handle out about 22" as thats what I had for length to work with. So the skins cover roughly 2/3 of both limbs. Should I expect the skins to change the tiller at all? The skins were applied 2 days ago and this AM I cleaned off the edges with a rasp and file. I'm curious how long I should allow the bow to dry before bracing it again. I'd like to make sure my tiller isn't off before I stain the rest of the bow with rit and finnish with tru oil. I do realize that I've added a lot of moisture with the glue and damp fish skins.

Offline Puckaway

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Re: Sturgeon backing question
« Reply #1 on: October 19, 2017, 11:09:19 am »
Also I was wondering if I should go for the tru oil finnish or maybe spray on poly? I've done both in the past but never on fish skin.

Offline High-Desert

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Re: Sturgeon backing question
« Reply #2 on: October 19, 2017, 11:13:23 am »
I wouldn't let them sit another day or two to be on the safe side depending on your climate.
The skins very unlikely changed your tiller, but may have added a few lbs, so if it did, you do have small room for adjustment, although I doubt you'll need it.
Truoil or poly will work fine on fishskins.
Eric

Offline Pat B

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Re: Sturgeon backing question
« Reply #3 on: October 19, 2017, 11:47:25 am »
I'd give the bow plenty of time to shed the moisture added when the skin was added. I imagine that sturgeon skins act as a vapor barrier slowing the evaporation of the moisture added when the skin was applied.
The tiller could change because of the strength of the skins but a little re-tillering should fix that.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Dances with squirrels

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Re: Sturgeon backing question
« Reply #4 on: October 19, 2017, 01:09:04 pm »
Fish skin is a good moisture barrier. The moisture has to leave through the wood, mostly... and it's hickory. Give it plenty of time to do that. Put the bow someplace dry and wait at least few weeks. Then go back to the tillering tree and basically start over. You should progress quickly, just don't get ahead of yourself, and don't assume nothing changed. Assume it may have. Look for issues... especially stronger limbs under the skins. Sturgeon skin is tough stuff, at least as tough as rawhide. It may need nothing, but I sure wouldn't stain it and seal until I was 100% satisfied with the tiller after all construction, tillering, and 200 shots or so... like any bow.
Straight wood may make a better bow, but crooked wood makes a better bowyer