Due to some pretty significant shoulder surgery and the prospect of a lengthy rehab, I've got a little time on my hands and I'm considering skinning the limbs on my acs-cx.  Wanting something a little different I'm considering mamba skins.  Anyone done this and have pictures?  Also anyone got a source for these particular skins?

I would think mamba skins would very tough to find if you can find them at all.They really don't have much of a pattern to them,other then being black.For me I like skins with some pattern,they look more of a natural camo.I have seen a lot of different skins,but haven't seen any mamba skins on a bow.Wouldn't they have to be imported,are they legal?

Talk to some guys on the africa threads. They may have some ideas.

Go with Boa skins there are tons of different breeds.Check out a snake dealer and get some ideas.

Black mambas aren't actually black.They are named for their black mouth interior.They are more of an olive/gray color- no pattern.I wouldn't think they would add a lot to a bow other than a scale pattern.Our Western Racers wouldn't look much different.It might be possible to find mambas as they don't have the protected status of some foreign snales.

I don't know a source offhand,but have seen an occasional captive bred specimen offered to the taxidermy trade.

Make sure you read the directions, the most important of which is be sure they're DEAD.

Bowmania

Make sure it is legal as well?  I think some of the exotics are ilegal to buy/sell but I may be wrong.  

Google Moscow hideandfur - if there are any they would have some.

I did a sweet sinew backed osage recurve I made with Brazilion Rainbow Boa skins.  They are probably ilegal to sell but I got them from a good friend who is a vet surgeon and they were in a freezer at MSU.  I gave the bow to a friend.

Bob Urban

I've skin'd bows with Diamondbacks, Prairie rattlers, 2 species of watersnakes, a bullsnake, combo of corn or chicken snake w/a copperhead, So. Ill timber rattler (canebrake?)...some cool lookin' skins 4sure! BUT...the very best lookin' skin is a African Rock python that J.D Berry put on my son's bow IMO. It's gray/black w/creamwhite...that was a 20 yrs ago or so....So I don't know if it is still available or legal anymore...Just to let ya know, we set all of our snakeskinned bows out in the trees/brush in the Fall/Winter morn,aftn & eve'n...backed off and evaluated....Hmmmm 5, 10, 15, 26 yds the African Rock python totally disappeared.

Snake skinning a bow has been around a long time, it seems to be the 'in thing' lately. I've only used it for bows that lacked beauty...that is, ugly wood/veneers, too much glare or just b-cuz.

Not sure what acs-cx is...my guess is it's carbon? TIP: use a dark background whether bow or skinnin' an arrow for best effect...

AKCrazyhorse, sorry, forgot to wish ya a speedy recovery.