Snake skin available

[TexasJohn]

I have a snake skin that I optained in Formosa (Taiwan by any other name) some years ago. It seem very plyable although it is a few years old. My wife purchased it while we were there with the intent of having some shoes and a purse made from it - and that never happened. I do not know what type of snake gave this skin up, but it is about 42" long and (at the widest point) about 4.5" wide. It has been dyed green and is now somewhat faded. I know nothing about making blanks and I'm sure if I tried I would screw it up and mess up this skin. If someone would like to try it they would be welcome to this skin. I would only ask that if they are able to make blanks from it that they provide me with a couple of them. Email me with your address and I will send it to you. If you try it and it does not work out for you, then nothing ventured, nothing gained. No problem. Texas John[8D]

 

[PenWorks]

John, chances are the dyed skin will not come out in a PR cast. The resin will react with the tanning and turn brown. Your best bet, if you want to use it, glue the skin on the outside of the tube, and build up a finish over it. That may work.

 

[thetalbott4]

Anthony is quite correct. Just last night I cast a set of experimental green dyed cobra (fresh scrap skins I got for almost nothing for experimenting with). They turned almost black so I figured there must be a reaction somewhere. Put a dab of resin on one area of skin, dab of just catalyst on another, and resin / catalyst mix on another. Sure enough the catalyst started the ink running and turning black. This morning the spot with catalyst and resin / catalyst mix were black.

I know there are people using dyed skins in castings, but it must be a diferent ink.

 

[TexasJohn]

OK guys, I'll tell you what. This skin is about 42" long. I think I have another one (if I can find it). I have no idea how long a hunk of this stuff it takes to make a blank but I would suspect not more than 6-inches. If you would like to play with it, email your address to me and I will send you a hunk of it. Just let me know how much you will need to make a blank. Along the edges it has turned a tan or brown color. Most of it looks dark green. A little of it is medium green. The back side is an Irish green - and being an Irishman I know. Maybe this is an Irish snake that St. Patrick ran out of Ireland[] Texas John - with a dead Irish snake. Perhaps it was the Irish booze that did him in. [][] Is it St. Paddy's Day yet?