# Snake Skins on a board....???



## Trizey

I know that some of you on here have skinned out Rattlesnakes before and put them on a board?

I've skinned the snake, got the barn wood, but I'm just now sure how I want to attach it.  I've thought about cutting a piece of felt out, putting the skin on the felt, then attaching the felt to the board. 

Any ideas or pictures???


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## Nicodemus

Trizey, a snake skin on old barnwood looks good attached with antiqued furniture tacks. You can find them at craft stores.

A light wipe on the skin with Armorall will make the skin shine like it did on the snake.


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## OconeeDan

The Rittel kit works very well, and it's easy to use for tanning snake skins.  
http://rittelsupplies.net/
Your idea should work fine, just glue to the felt and then glue or tack the felt to a board.  
You could leave the very edges of the snake skin unglued, then you can staple the felt to the board and hide the staples under the edge of the snake skin.
Never boarded one, I usually just pin them up to a wall!
Dan


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## 56willysnut

I've used borax or table salt to preserve skins in the past, In you post sounds like you need to preserve the skin first, then attach to barn board.

 I turn the skin inside up and attach to different piece of wood than the barn wood (due to staining) using small brads or pins attach to wood stretching as you go, scrape excess goodies from inside of skin and cover with salt or regular old "twenty mule team borax"  from the store(laundry soap area), wait a couple of days then replace. after a couple of weeks, brush borax from skin and remove nails, then you're ready to stick to the barn wood. In a nutshell thats how I do it.
 Somebody jump in hear with other ideas.


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## LureheadEd

We've done several amongst our camp members. One of the guys found a formula that leaves the skin soft and pliable. Mount the skin with tacks on another board flesh side out, then scrape the rest of the fat off. Don't scrape the hide too thin. Use a small paint brush (1") to spread a mixture of 50% glycerin(from the drugstore) and 50% denatured alcohol all over the skin. Don't mix up a whole lot, you don't need much , maybe a couple or 3 ounces for the whole job. Don't slop it on, just get the skin covered. Let it soak in for a few (2-3)days till it almost feels dry. Do it again.Wait till almost dry. And then do it all again. The skin won't feel "dry" after the last brushing, but you want to wait till it's not "wet" either.Flip the skin over and mount to whatever display board you want to use, you don't need to brush the outside.Some of these skins were done 3-4 years ago, they look and feel just like the day we mounted 'em.


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## Trizey

Thanks guys....I tanned the snake back in the spring and I was waiting to hang it until I got in my new home.  

I acquired some 100 year old pine boards and I'm wanting to attach the skin to the board in some way.

Good ideas so far, I've got something in mind.

Nic-  I like that idea.


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## Trizey

OconeeDan said:


> The Rittel kit works very well, and it's easy to use for tanning snake skins.
> http://rittelsupplies.net/
> Your idea should work fine, just glue to the felt and then glue or tack the felt to a board.
> You could leave the very edges of the snake skin unglued, then you can staple the felt to the board and hide the staples under the edge of the snake skin.
> Never boarded one, I usually just pin them up to a wall!
> Dan



Good idea.  I just ordered some of Rittel's Preservit for using on turkey legs and feet.


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## cpowel10

Here's what I've done with a few snakes.  I salt the skin, and cut it straight and try to get rid of most of the white belly.  Them I cut a board and cover it with black felt and lay the skin down on it.  I put Vaseline on the skin to make it shiny and then I lay a piece of plexiglass over it and mount it with brass screws.  It will stay looking great for years.  Here's a pic


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## cpowel10

There's a bad reflection off the plexiglass, but it looks great in person.  You just have to clean the plexiglass and make sure there are no fingerprints on it.  This keeps it from crinkling up like I have seen on some that are mounted to boards with no glass.  There is also a very small rattle snake skin sitting on top of this skin at the top that I am going to do the same with


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## crackerdave

When they're tanned right,those skins make awesome belts,hatbands,wallets..... Something I've always thought would be cool: a hardshell pool stick case covered in rattler skin! You better be a purty good shot,if you walk in a poolroom with something like that,though! I can hear 'em now: Uh-oh--- here comes the RATTLER!
Maybe you could attach the rattles from the snake to the stick somehow,and give it a little shake,just before you sink the 8-ball.


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