Displaying Snake Skin (updated with pics)

I have a rattlesnake skin that I would like to display, I fleshed it and soaked in a mixture of glycerin and alcohol. Currently I have it tacked out on a board to dry. I need some advice on how to proceed with displaying it, I’m thinking of mounting it on a piece of live edge walnut I have laying around.
I’ve never messed with snake skin before so I’m wondering if I should just glue it strait to the board or should I first put it on some other backing? What type of adhesive should I use and and do I need to watch what type of finish I use on my display board? Or should I just tack it onto the display board? Should I use some kind of an oil or clear coat over the snakeskin or just leave it?

I used brass tacs. Glue didnt want to stick good but I was using hot melt glue

Came home one day the wife made this up I was not thrilled she hacked up a nice hide but learned to like it. That arrowhead came from our backyard will look for more once the lake goes back down.

I like it Law Dog but I would be pretty upset if someone cut this one up. Lol




I’m hoping to mount the skull from this goat on the top of my display board with the snake skin beneath it. Thought it would be a neat reminder of my 2020 SD trip. I know he’s small but I worked my rear end off for him and think he deserves a spot on my wall.

You should of rolled up the skin so it would lay flat when you unrolled it. I put felt on mine and put it on an old barn board.

Exit - this may help. Snakeskin backings are pretty popular for self bows. Methods would be pretty much the same for a board. When I've done it it was just an air dried skin, rewetted and squeegeed then applied to the bow with wood glue and wrapped tight with an ace bandage. For gluing to a board you might think about laying it flat then using waxed paper and another weighted board as a press. You'll have to pick off all the scales once it's dried to get to the skin which can be clear coated with varathane or similar to make it really pop. Show some pics when you're done!

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,62098.0.html?PHPSESSID=j2lvjcb256ql41if97jcnji5b1

spray the glue on the skin and then put on piece of felt then another color of felt I like green against the snake and brown under the green.

Congrats On the Speed Goat and Snake

Some of my most memorable Western hunts were culminated by filling my tag on extremely hard hunts; the size of the pronghorn rack mattered not. It was the fulfilled quest!

But I've never left Wyoming with an unfilled tag. Deer or lope!

I have a rattlesnake skin that I would like to display, I fleshed it and soaked in a mixture of glycerin and alcohol.
From the OP, is this the preferred method of curing/ tanning snake skin?

From what I could find it seemed to be a very popular way to preserve them.

An excellent way. Just scrape the flesh side (I use a spoon) to get rid of all the fat and membrane. Submerge in a glass jar in a mix of 50% each of alcohol and glycerin. Leave for several days. Try to shake it up a few times each day. Remove & wipe the excess off. Pin it flesh side down on a clean board, keeping it even. I use brad nails about 3 - 4 inches apart. Set in shady place for a few days. Finished.

Thanks for the information!

Yes, Great info!

Thanks a lot for the info guys, I’ll try to post pics once I get it finished, might be awhile before I find time to do anything with it.

The lighting isn’t great and I still need to find a place to hang it long term but this is what I ended up doing with it. Mounted it on a piece of live edge walnut that I sawed several years ago. I just pinned it on with brass upholstery tacks, had to predrill to keep from bending them over. It’s not perfect but overall I’m pretty satisfied with the way it turned out.

I think it looks great! Good way to display both the goat skull and the snake.

Jack

I agree, well done !

Mine is similar to MJM's ^^^^^^. I traded a dead bobcat to a Taxidermist.
He up some kind of stuffing to give a little depth and brass tacks. Sorry I don't do pics.

When y'all say alcohol, do you mean rubbing alcohol or vodka?

MJM, Either you're very short, or that's a huge snake.

Rubbing alcohol....MJM could’ve got a few nice racks of ribs off of that one.

Rubbing alcohol. I always just rubbed them with borax to flesh them. Then tack them out to dry flesh side up. Make sure you keep them even and straight when you tack them out. Once dry, put them in your 50/50 mix of rubbing alcohol and glycerin.