Back a Primitive Bow with RAWHIDE!

In this primitive bow building video Clay Hayes explains how to back a primitive wood bow with rawhide and why it might be important to do so.
When a longbow, recurve, or selfbow is drawn and shot, the back (part facing away from the archer) is under a tremendous amount of tension. The purpose of a backing is to absorb and withstand that tension.
There are many natural materials that can be used as bow backing. Sinew, hickory or bamboo slats are great options but each has it's only requirements. Rawhide is a great bow backing that can conform to the irregularities in a bow's back.
Some reasons for backing a bow are if you are:
1. working with a species like eastern red cedar or juniper that can't withstand the tension forces on it's own.
2. working with a stave with thin rings where you may not be able to follow a single growth ring reliably.
3. working with board bows or staves that have been sawn and don't fallow the grain.
Rawhide is a very durable primitive bow backing that's easy to use and quick to apply. Rawhide bow backing strips are available at www.twistedstave.com
Additional bow building videos covering all aspects of bow building from design to tillering can be found at www.patreon.com/clayhayes
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[@StonedViper101]

Your videos are always so great and informative. Thanks so much Clay. I love how you added at the end "if you made it this far into the video you must really love bow building" meanwhile I'm rasping off the side of my bow after glueing on my rawhide backing 2 days ago

[@clayhayeshunter]

Perfect!

[@williamsdesigning1949]

You explain this so well, you're a pro and a great teacher.

[@clayhayeshunter]

Glad you think so!

[@colb715]

Thanks Clay I have just done my first rawhide backing and it’s turned out pretty good for a first effort, cheers love your videos mate really helpful!

[@clayhayeshunter]

Congrats!

[@jamescooper2618]

Dont you guys wish Clay was your next-door neighbor? I do!😊

[@TXGrayrider]

Great video Clay. I said it before, this makes youtube worth watching. Thanks

[@clayhayeshunter]

Thanks Kyle

[@SwiftwoodBows]

Great video. I love the pant leg idea. I'll have to give that a try.

[@clayhayeshunter]

Once you try on a pair of stretchy pants you’ll never go back 😳

[@HeartlandMakesAndOutdoors]

Very nicely done on this video sir. I have watched your other one as well. Yes sir, you know from my comments, I am extremely interested in making my own bow, I will start it after our archery season is over here in Oklahoma. I am also looking forward to seeing your DVD on bow building you have mentioned in previous videos, I have seen your online class at the Push Archery Center of Knowledge,, But still looking at your DVD as well. Thanks again for sharing sir, I am leaving with my recurve in a few more hours to go on a week long rut hunt here, They are chasing does now and I hope to get with in recurve range soon. Thanks again for all your videos and knowledge your are willing to share with us, it is greatly appreciated. Thanks again and have a blessed week. Dale

[@clayhayeshunter]

Good luck Dale, we still have a little while before they start chasing here!

[@colb715]

Thanks mate just embarking on my first bow adventure an American Red Wood bow backed either by dog bone rawhide or bamboo still deciding on that!

[@fishinbite]

Great explanation! Are you doubling up the hide on the handle area? As I didnt see you glue that part

[@aex-blacksmithuk2111]

Thank very much for this video, it was very informative in deed, it has given me a it to think about for a bow I am thinking of trying to make some time in the near future.

[@brucenovotny5924]

Great workmanship man. Very informative. How would lacquer work for sealing the bow? 🙂👍🇨🇦

[@kyletango]

As I understand the raw hide is to create a solid backing for the bow, my question, can you apply the raw hide before you start to tiller the bow?

[@clayhayeshunter]

Yes you can.

[@DavidKissinger-cm3lh]

my first hickory bow was backed with rawhide, i used epoxy which sort of worked but not that good. that was back in the early 70's. eventually i learned a better method which was to prep the limb surface the same way as for a sinew back bow using hide glue and then soaking the rawhide and finally sewing the rawhide on. once it dried it perfectly bonded to the bow. i personally would not used wood glue but some people evne use it it a

[@ragingbonibus147]

What are your thoughts on denim backing? Cheap pair of goodwill jeans are like 5$ and denim is pretty strong and has some elasticity.

[@chanobargas7355]

Great video Clay.... my question is can u butt the 2 pieces at the handle instead of the over lap?

[@clayhayeshunter]

Maybe, I haven’t trie that though.

[@joeytheetge9268]

I don't know if you have honeysuckle growing around where you live. The reason I bring it up is I started making bows and trying deferent wood growing around my house. If you have honeysuckle you have to try it.

[@OdegardOnline]

Is there a performance difference between sinew and rawhide (and maybe snakeskin)? Rawhide certainly looks much easier to work with! Thanks for all the great content.

[@clayhayeshunter]

Yes there is. If done right, sinew will draw the bow into a reflex which can significantly speed things up.

[@sk8legendz]

I was wondering if hempwick is a viable option as well for backing the bow? or if the whole winding it around the bow would do more harm then good? I'm hopeful it's viable but I have a feeling that it isn't and might compromise the bow by ruining the flexibility of it.

[@liammerrick6399]

can you thin out dog toy raw hide? i i was thinking of trying the scrape the inside to see if i could remove some mass before applying it to my bow. great content Clay

[@petevermouth5567]

Good video, Thank you. Grumpy

[@thehuntschool196]

Great video!

[@Denzelquamily]

Can you recurve a bow after it becomes stringable from shaving each limb

[@robertsteffan6835]

Just a quick question. Can a snake skin be placed on a rawhide backed selfbow? Thx! Keep up on the video's there very helpful.👍

[@Artlioe]

Thanks for the video! You mentioned using a rawhide dog bone would provide a thicker rawhide which might slow the bow down due to added weight. Is there a way to sand down that rawhide or make it thinner? Or would doing anything to it compromise the strength of the material? Thanks!

[@clayhayeshunter]

You could thin it on a table top belt sander.

[@HuebertEllowit-LOL]

Do you know how people backed bows before they had wood glue? I thought they would just like a sap charcoal glue mixture, but apparently that softens and melts at relatively low temperatures so you couldn't really expose it to super hot days

[@clayhayeshunter]

Look up “hide glue”

[@ckingclosur]

Hi Clay you are a good guy There are people when you meet them you sense that they could be really good friends, get along and be buddies even though I didn't get to meet you in person but I tell something I wish and looking forward to it maybe one day will bump into each other the rest is on twisted stave

[@clayhayeshunter]

Thanks much!

[@didjhopkins4135]

Hey Clay! Mate, if you don’t have true oil (or it’s just expensive as hell like here in Oz), is it ok to use a few coats of tite bond to seal it up? With some light sanding between? Cheers mate...another bloody awesome vid 🤙🏼

[@clayhayeshunter]

I’ve gone over sinew with titebond but haven’t tried it over rawhide. It’d probably work fine.

[@arrowlranch]

Clay, when you say 4-5 coats of Tru-oil, are you meaning over the backing as well? Generally it seems that oil and adhesives/glues don’t interact well and I’m looking for clarification before I apply any oily finish to the rawhide and compromise the bond on the underside. Thanks!

[@clayhayeshunter]

Yes, over everything. Spar urethane works great as well.

[@thefeatheredfrontiersman8135]

Thanks clay. Now mabie you could explain how to obtain sinews and rawhide from a fresh kill.that and other materials such as silk or leather, I heard that those work too. TKS f.f.!

[@clayhayeshunter]

I have a video showing how to flesh a deer hide and turn it into rawhide.

[@joshuawhite9818]

Do you have to leave the island around the not before backing the bow or can you take it to one annual growth ring through the whole bow and then back it?

[@joecoffee968]

Why would static limb tips be necessary if they are not working? Just curious.

[@clayhayeshunter]

Non working is what I mean by static.

[@MarcRitzMD]

Would you say that rawhide backings have gone out of fashion? I remember the olden days when the TBB just came out, and people were experimenting with denim and silk because we had nothin'. Rawhide was the a pretty good choice then. But nowadays, you can fairly cheaply get a hickory or bamboo backing that can actually add performance. If one has access to some power tools, flattening the back of the stave is pretty straightforward. Btw, any chance you could make a video about the little workshop upgrades you have treated yourself with now that you have received that nice prize money?

[@clayhayeshunter]

I wouldn’t say it’s gone out. It’s just a different style of bow.

[@jamescooper2618]

Is deer hide interchangeable with rawhide? Would deer hide be thinner?

[@audiojanne]

I would have asked the same for wild boar hide .... have a pile around and I was asking myself: "why not?" its thinner and looks kinda cooler ?

[@clayhayeshunter]

This is deer rawhide.

[@clayhayeshunter]

I’ve never used boar but I think it would work fine.

[@christopherbrinks4054]

Will rawhide help prevent limb twisting or asymmetrical limb set?

[@clayhayeshunter]

No, but you can correct limb twist with heat in most cases.

[@samuelflook2066]

Hey I was wondering, does having static tips slow down arrow flight? What are the advantages/disadvantages of working and static recurve bows? Do you have a video on this topic? Blessings, thank you!

[@clayhayeshunter]

It’s difficult to make a true working recurve from wood. Static curves can be just as fast if built well.

[@samuelflook2066]

Clay Hayes thank you very much for explaining!

[@surfer4478]

Do you ever sell your builds? I'd be interested in buying one. I'm almost 69 cut some oak staves but not sure I have the time left for them to dry! LOL.

[@clayhayeshunter]

Come take a class and I’ll teach you to build one.

[@LUCKYB.]

Years go I was told by a colvile Indian if you are going to back a bow with rawhide. Use a yearling Deer rawhide.

[@rogeriodmr9316]

td bom amigo, parabéns pelo seu trabalho.que madeira vc usa para fazer esses arco ,ou nome da árvore 🤙

[@asesinodezombis2077]

How about making a horn bow? Or using the horn as backing.

[@wgiterdun]

When building a recurve bow, do you back it before or after you form the recurves?

[@LUCKYB.]

That is a very good question .. You cant steam the limbs to set recurve if the limbs are preback . You cant use Heat if its prebacked . Your question deserves a. Big no . When you start Making bows Youl figure it out

[@b.starknwo6564]

Can you apply raw hide in three pieces? Two longer pieces say for the limbs get to the handle section but and overlapping piece at the handle say 8-10”?

[@b.starknwo6564]

To get the whole bow covered

[@clayhayeshunter]

Sure but I’m not sure what it would gain you.

[@familyonamissiongo4790]

Please forgive me if this question is out of place but, Do you know if there is an app out there to locate and harvest different bow woods Thank you for your time

[@clayhayeshunter]

I doubt it.

[@MrSapper36]

I have a self bow that I finished and sealed with linseed oil could I still back it still and can I use a thin deer hide ?

[@clayhayeshunter]

scrape off the finish then you can back it with deer rawhide

[@chriswoods3188]

Will the rawhide stiffen the bow?

[@clayhayeshunter]

slightly but not much

[@zacharycortez6187]

Quick question can you use Aspen to make a bow i know its kind of light but wanted to know if it's possible

[@clayhayeshunter]

It would be a poor choice.

[@zacharycortez6187]

Thanks I was asking because I have a couple Aspen a honey locust and a plum tree that I'm cutting on my property I to make a bow out of one of the Woods

[@clayhayeshunter]

The plum would be my first choice

[@ohiowhitetail9635]

How much does it add to draw weight?

[@clayhayeshunter]

If you just apply the rawhide without doing anything else it might add a few lbs.

[@rogeriodmr9316]

sou do Brasil...

[@claybowman1242]

I live in Israel, where hunting is sadly illegal, but I love bow making and was wondering if you ever heard of a bow made of cyprus pine.

[@clayhayeshunter]

I’m not familiar with that species.

[@claybowman1242]

It's a fantastic bow wood and incredibly plentiful, if you ever by some chance end up around here give it a try idk. I Love your videos thank you for all the information.

[@harleymckanick7918]

for texans: when he says osage he means bois d'arc. i just figured that out lol

[@harleymckanick7918]

for non texans: bois d'arc sounds like bow dark

[@TheRazor666777]

Clay can you make me a bow ?

[@clayhayeshunter]

I can teach you if you want to take a class.

[@RedMoonsEcho]

You'd make more money if your taught on youtube how make one. At least give a tutorial. If I'm gonna pay for I'll go to Skill sharer go to my old buddy in Texas whose been doing them for 60 years.

[@BearMeat4Dinner]

I’m gonna use my first ❤steer or deer! 🦌 Yehawww!

[@mishaladara]

Brokeback Mountain backing