Backing a bow with Rawhide (how to) 

I'm not making a bow I'm actually making a rawhide covered Viking shield but couldn't find any actual videos of gluing rawhide to wood. This vid has helped me a lot. Thank you for your post.

Clay, surgical tubing or flats was what we gunsmiths used to pull broken gunstocks together while the adhesive was curing. the adhesive was, of course, Acra-Glass.

I'm still very envious of that old vise you're using. I love it

Very well done instructional video!

yep, great timing ...i needed your thoughts on backing my bow... thanks so much clay. ..bill

Your videos are very well done keep making them!

Another GREAT video Clay!

i would recommend using bicycle inner tire tubes. you get alot of pressure when wrapping them around the rawhide and the bow and also they dont stick to the glue, also you can use them again and again :)

Thanks for the info keep it coming I would like to see more Nav and hunting. I live in SC Kansas on the boarder and have got plenty of Osage O .I'm waiting for a log to dry up so I can try to make my first bow

I am curious do you notice any performance change positively or negatively by adding rawhide also on average how many pounds does it add to your drawl weight

Dos IT change the performance of the bow? Slow it down or make IT faster? Dos it add much weigth?

Awesome video as usual!

Hi Clay. I currently have. 70 inch Osage flatbow pulling 67 lbs at 28 in. It’s a pretty strong bow. It’s my first bow and Im pretty happy with it. I’ve shot it about 10 times no with no issues. Is it necessary to back a bow that heavy? I’m considering a rawhide backing. Are there any risks or disadvantages to doing that to my bow? Do you think rawhide backing would be a safe preventative way to preserve my bow?

Thanks Clay! I've only ever backed my bows with Sinew, definately something i wanna try now

You can back with news paper cardboard blue jeans old sheets and many other things..... Those things I said can be epoxy saturated layered or you can use wood glue if sealed but epoxy makes amazing back.... Carbon fiber tows glass flax fibers and natural fibers of almost any kind that are strong and long

Will this help reduce string follow and set? I know it adds some poundage, but I have a flat bow that takes a good amount of set, it still shoots well at 60# at 26", but when I unstring it and hold the string taught the "unstrung brace height is a good 3-4") can backing it improve this? Is there anything else I can do i. Addition? Thanks

Does the extra mass drop the FPS? How much?

I think I'll do that to my next bow. Thanks

What does the rawhide do for the bow? Can you back a bow with a couple of coats of epoxy to seal it and add strength to the wood grain? Thanks, Daniel

Thank you! This may sound silly but, Does the backing come before the tillering or after?

VERY INFORMATIVE. EVEN A DUM IDIOT COULD MAKE A BOW IF THEY WATCHED YOU. GOOD STUFF. TAKE CARE GARE.

Hi Clay, I'm in the process of building a self bow using ash. I was wondering, if a bow is complete and time has passed, can you always choose to back it raw hide at a later time. I was planning on sealing it with tongue oil, six or seven coats by your recommendations. Will Tight Bond III stick to sealed wood or would I have to strip it down. As always thanks for sharing.

Hi clay good video! Can I steam a bow with a piece of rawhide glued to the bow or should i steam the bow to make my reflex before adding rawhide?? Thanks! (I really enjoy what you share, it's so clear that i understand everything even if i have a bad english)👍

What does backing the bow do?

Hi Clay, Thanks for a great vid! Why is rawhide used instead of another material? As a safety precaution, in the event that the bow breaks, can one use leatherette (imitation leather) along the back of the bow instead of rawhide? The leatherette I have to my disposal is pretty thin so I assume that it won't add a lot of mass to the bow in comparison to rawhide? What do you think of this, is it a good idea? Thank you. Hakan

So you don't need the rawhide to be a single continuous piece from tip to tip? It looked like you only put rawhide on from the handle to the tip, so did you put a second piece on the lower half too?

I love you videos. I just got your book Traditional Bowhunting, looking forward to reading it. Just wondering whats the difference between Sinew and Rawhide backing? Is it that it does the same job but the rawhide is just easier to apply? Keep making the videos if you can, they are really good Thanks E

So glad I found this video! I need to back a Cedar bow and I have been going back and forth between fiberglass and rawhide. This confirmed I am going with rawhide. With that being said. How do you protect the rawhide if it were to rain while hunting?

I have never made a bow, but would like to. My question is : what is the purpose of putting sinew or rawhide on the back of your bow?

I have two questions: 1. Does the application of the rawhide have an effect on the draft of the bow? 2. Is it advisable to do something like this with ash?

Can strips of sinew be placed under the rawhide?

i am making an ash longbow (2nd bow), two pieces "z-spliced", doweled, and glued together at the handle. I will have a thin wood backing plate on the back of the bow to cover the splice on the back side of the bow. Can I glue this backing plate (and tip overlays) over rawhide backing, or would this not be a sound gluing surface for the backing plate and tip overlays? Would it be better to cut the rawhide around the backing plate and tip overlays.

I'm roughing out a bow right now, and I want to back it with rawhide. Do you recommend backing the bow before you tiller or after? Or does it matter?

appreiciate your videos man. just learnin to make bows . what other wood you like besides osage? thank you a lot.

The rawhide is still damp when u laid it on the glue??

Hi Clay, i just split my 1 year old vine maple stave, and now I noticed that the growth rings are paper thin,I will say that there is maybe just a little bit more late wood than the early one,should I back it, stave is 69 " long?

does this increase the poundage much?

would like to know how much rawhide and and steps to repair an older wood bow ,there is a split crack about 1" or so across and if this is able to be fixed right so it will be safe to shoot

What poundage does the backing add roughly please? Is it 20+lbs?

Hey how are you. What is better to back with,sinew or rawhide. Or are they pretty much the same. Thanks

Did applying the rawhide backing affect your final tiller at all?

Could I use a dog toy rawhide bone for this? I think if I soaked it and untied it it would function essentially the same

Wat different woods have you used for bows? Aside from Osage, what would be your second choice?

Nice shirt!

Mr.Hayes do is still have to follow the growth rings if I intend to back the bow with rawhide?

As seone who is completely new to the idea of bowyering Can you do a rawhide backing over a bamboo backing and can you use rawhide glue or maybe fiberglass resin

Can you design and paint the rawhide from there like the Indians used too

can i use other type of woodglue for sinew backing

can i do this on a self bow with a shelf that's already been shot

would doing this heighten the draw weight?

you look so young here

does it make the bow stronger

do you sell your bows?

catedancequeen

Hmmm... I finally followed Ann's advice and took Stodoys plans. It's great for beginners and has some advanced stuff too.

I did it with Stodoys plans.

Can the rawhide be glued with hide glue?