Hello, I have just purchased a pair of old snowshoes to get me to my snare sets. On taking a closer look I see what looks like a small crack on the inside edge running where the cross piece fits into the frame. It’s just on the inside and doesn’t go all the way through, just hairline. Do you think they are ok to use? It is hard to see and runs in the middle of the inside edge.
I’m afraid I don’t know how to send pictures.

Nice shoes! I think if it was me I would get ahold of some good babiche, soak it, and wrap it around the portion of the frame that appears to have a hairline crack. The rawhide will tighten up nicely when it dries and it will be a strong repair. You are probably also going to need to put some sealer on your snowshoes to keep them from absorbing water. I have always used marine spar varnish but there may be other options that you will hear about on here.

I would bet you will get a lot of replies and advice on this. Welcome to Trapperman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Moosetrot

I have a pair of 12 by 48 Michigan style I retired about 15 years ago. I cracked the main frame just above where yours is cracked and my crack was bigger or more defined. I wrapped that whole cracked area with strapping tape with several wraps and the crack never wiggled. I moved past those as I got heavier and went with wider shoes. I did use them for another 3-4 years or roughly 100-200 miles.

Bryce

Moosetrot is spot on.

Nice shoes

WS

Thanks so much for the information! I will try this cheers!

Good to hear they are still usable! Thanks for the reply!

Thanks!

You could drill and glue hard wood dowels in there too. They would keep the. crack from spreading.

I agree with this.

If you don't have babiche braided masonry line wrapped tight and then varnish it.

Before you wrap them you might take some epoxy glue and work it into the crack, just kind of massage it in maybe giving it a slight twist back and forth a bit to help open the crack a bit to allow the glue to enter better, I had a pair with a crack like that and after glueing them took some black nylon fishing line and wrapped it around the area applying epoxy to the wrap then added another layer and did the same after the first dryed

It has held up for a good 30 years though truth to tell I don’t use them as much as I used to

you can get rawhide from crazy crow trading post. a good waterproof finish which I'd used on my trade gun kit can be made from pulverized Chios mastic and boiled linseed oil at a ratio of one-part mastic to four-part oil. then heat it to about 170 to 180 while stirring make sure to pulverize the mastic in something you don't care about as it's very hard to clean.

What Moosetrot said

I keep my eye out for Large doggie chews at the big box stores. To have on hand for such repairs. Works for me. Tut