Here is a bow with a maker's mark

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 2:36 am

Ray,
This is getting confusing when referring to same and ray.

Unpolished ray skin can be very abrasive. It depends on how it was tanned. Chrome tanning leaves it somewhat softer. Just don't wear the skin off your bow hand. It used to be used as sandpaper.

jack farrell · Post by **jack farrell** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 5:16 pm

Ray; I did not reply previously when we discussed fish skins on bows. Actually, I was not talking about using the ray skin as backing. You may notice that it is being used on this bow as decoration, above and below the grip in short strips, and as a covering for the siyahs. Most likely this ray skin (a ray or skate, a member of the shark family, referred to as "shagreen" when worked up this way, was often painted green) was put on as rawhide, glued down, had its rough surface abraded, and was stained, and laquered over till smooth.

Tanned shagreen has a somewhat different texture and may be more difficult to manipulate in this manner.

I was told that the skins with the large center bumps are male skins, the females have a less defined ridge. Notice the small holes on the face of the skin. These are sonar receptors.

I have also seen some primitive arrows with small strips of ray skin glued around the nocks, presumably to enhance a pinch-type grip. -j-

Ray Cover · Post by **Ray Cover** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 11:24 pm

Sorry Bede,

Someimes we Americans can get lazy with our nicknames and abreviations. I should have specified it as stingray.

Ray

Stephen Selby · Post by **Stephen Selby** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 1:25 am

This ray skin is difficult to work with - especially in the rawhide form. It has to be soaked in alcohol to soften it, and that in turn means that it is difficult to glue effectively to areas of a bow that get stretched or stressed. Also, the hide is very resistant to stretching, and if it were used to back a bow, it would certainly split. In old bows, it was only used on non-moving parts such as siyahs and arrow-passes.

There is a tanned version on the market which is more flexible, but it still does not stretch.

I would therefore not recommend ray skin for backing a bow.

Ray Cover · Post by **Ray Cover** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 4:20 am

Thanks Stephen,

You saved me about $90 in same rawhide. Thats one of the problems with being an artist. You get all these ideas of things that would really be nice aesthetically but don't work in reality. Its nice to have more experienced folks out there to keep the feet on the ground.

Again thanks for the input,
Ray

Romain · Post by **Romain** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 5:47 am

However, in The Traditional Bowyer's Bible Vol 1 in the "backing" chapter, they mention sturgeon skin as being a beautiful backing choice.

(it is more cosmetic than functional, except maybe by giving a protection against the rain, similar to snake skin).