Buffalo Hide, Keeping It Flat

[SquareFrames]

Hi,

I have had 2 buffalo hides in from Thailand to frame recently. Both were perfectly flat and uniformly proportioned, i.e. they were square, not even a slight twist.
Both were stitched to mountboard that had been adhered to foam core, and framed just as we would frame a pastel, well away from the glass, etc. The customer was given the usual advice, keep away from heat and direct sunlight, etc.
One has been brought back, (within a few days of collection) and has gone way out of shape, twisted, stretched and has cockled very badly. Looks like summut I get threw on a plate on a Saturday night, but anyhoo ......... any suggestions as how I get this buffalo's backside to lie flat again without using any heat? I think heat or vacumn press could do some damage, I dont intend trying just incase, I aint going to Thailand to replace it. By all accounts this item was not that expensive, around £50-60 Sterling, more sentimental than anything, but is very intricate in its design, must have taken an age to design and cut out, to describe it, it looks like a delicate lace doily your gran used to have, only larger and made out of buffalo hide.
Do buffalo's get mad cows disese? Looks like this one did have it.
Seriously, any suggestions other than heat and lacing like cross-stitch / tapestries, etc. (not a viable option here, tried it, didnt work) would be greatly welcomed. The item has to look as if it's floating, ssoing all the edges, etc.

Steven

[John]

We always use spraymount on these things and place them on mountboard, then give them 10-15 minutes under gentle pressure in a hardbed press. You have to be careful though as the colour will come off on your hand with some of them.

Perhaps not to the highest museum standard, but adequate for the purpose considering what they are. And we have not had one come back to us (yet!).

[SquareFrames]

Hi John,

Many thanks for the tip. Never thought of using Spraymount, I normally try and steer clear of that, but I will give it a go. I just hope theitem hasnt stretched too much rom the direct sunlight. I will let you know. As I said these are more a sentimental reminder of her holiday, nothing too valuable, in fact her husband wanted to hang them in his shed, to scare the spiders.

Talk soon,

Steven