Do it yourself, with snake skins you harvested yourself. It’s not hard. If you buy the skins, you can get a pair of rattlers for $50.00.

Put the word out to friends that you want dead copperheads. I get 1 or 2 a year that way. But this year I haven’s seen any myself or gotten that call.

If you want someone else to do it, I hear Morrison Archery will do it. But it costs…

Steve Graf wrote: Do it yourself, with snake skins you harvested yourself. It’s not hard. If you buy the skins, you can get a pair of rattlers for $50.00.

Put the word out to friends that you want dead copperheads. I get 1 or 2 a year that way. But this year I haven’s seen any myself or gotten that call.

If you want someone else to do it, I hear Morrison Archery will do it. But it costs…

Copperhead skins look awesome! I corresponded with Bob Morrison earlier this year about this very thing. He charges $115.

You can use Titebond or other wood glue. Put the bow in a vise with the back facing up. Apply glue to the back of the bow with two fingers. Apply your skins from the middle out to the tips, making sure to press all air bubbles out the sides or the tips. Wrap with bandage, plastic wrap or inner-tubes. Clamp each end of skin with small clamp just as a security measure to keep everything in place. Let dry for 48-72 hours. Trim skin edges with razor blade or small file being careful not to damage bow. Tru oil is very compatible with snake skins.

-Brian

Duncan wrote: Steve,

Could you give me some hints on adhesive and top coat?

Thanks,

Duncan

I have used both titebond II and epoxy to bond the snake skins. On the whole I prefer epoxy to bond them to fiberglass. Since fiberglass in impermeable, the glue only dries through the snakeskin. This also becomes a problem as you will understand when you read my application method… epoxy, on the other hand, is a chemical cure and doesn’t require evaporation.

I did several peel tests which showed that the epoxy bonded the snake skins much better than the titebond did…

I make a form that matches the limb out of something thin and flexible like 1/8″ particle board. I tape the sides of the bow to keep glue off. Then I apply a thin layer of epoxy to both limb and skin. Apply the skin (whole skin, not trimmed) to the bow, lay the form on top, and clamp with as many clamps as you can get on the bow. I use spring clamps alternating on each side of limb to apply as even a pressure as I can.

The glue oozes out and has to be cleaned off. This is the worst of it. Trim the skins back to the bow at this point. Some sanding will be required. But in the end, the skins are as smoothly applied to the bow as is possible. Doing it any other way (I have found) always leaves a bump or wrinkle or some other flaw.

As for a finish…. I wish I had a good answer. I have found that Tru Oil doesn’t make a hard finish over the skin and comes off easily. It looks great, just don’t touch it…

I end up using the same urethane I use for the rest of the bow. I put 3 coats on the snake skins by themselves. Then another 3 coats on the entire bow (making 6 on the snake skins). I am still looking for a better way though…

Hope this helps…. If you figure out a better way let me know!

Patrick wrote:
Copperhead skins look awesome! I corresponded with Bob Morrison earlier this year about this very thing. He charges $115.

I know he does a lot of copperheads. I wonder where he gets them??? Anyway, $115 sounds pretty good if that includes the cost of the skins as well…

Did he say he would refinish the whole bow too? Or, otherwise, how does he protect the skins?

Steve Graf wrote: I know he does a lot of copperheads. I wonder where he gets them??? Anyway, $115 sounds pretty good if that includes the cost of the skins as well…

Did he say he would refinish the whole bow too? Or, otherwise, how does he protect the skins?

No, that’s just labor for installing the skins, which I’m sure also includes the sealing them. He gave me the impression he didn’t have any copperhead skins and it would be necessary to procure them myself.

Awesome job Duncan! Now we know who else we can send our bows to, to have skins put on. 😉

Duncan – you said you used contact cement… How did you apply the skins, and did you put a finish over them?

It looks very nice!

Duncan — you can definitely do it yourself. But be sure they’re good and dead first, esp. if you use rattlers!:P dave p

I put some on my recurve using titebond III and after de-scaling, rubbbed in about 3 coats of thin CA and finished with tru-oil. Been on a couple of years now and still looks good.

Your bow looks great! I love your choice of skins. I did mine myself. There’s a great satisfaction looking at it and knowing I did it myself! Nice job!

-Jeremy

You done good pilgrim 😀