How long to let sinew cure after backing a bow

[tronman]

I sinewed a couple bows and I am curious how long they should dry or cure before one starts to do some tillering. I did them up a little over two weeks?

[tronman]

Well did a little more research and found the answer. I am going to have to be patient and wait. Sounds like the longer the better when it comes to letting sinew cure! Its just so hard to wait so I will start another project to pass the time.

[Stingray45]

I've never worked with Sinew but thats what I hear. I have heard 2 weeks minimum but Ive also heard, from more people a month minimum. But as you said the longer the better. There is a guy on youtube that was showing a bow he backed with sinew. Had a big hinge in it so he put it down to come back to it, said he forgot about for like 6 months and the sinew had time to just cure. Picked it back up and the hinge was almost completely out and the bow had added like 10# in draw weight just from sitting there that long. I'm very interested myself in trying a sinewbacked bow.

[KenH]

Folks who make seriously sinewed Steppe bows - Turkish, Persian, Manchu, etc. - will let their bows dry a minimum of six months.  Building one of those beautiful Crab bows or a Manchu Horsebow often takes  a year...

[dragonman]

ditto the above, most asian sinew backers let their bows dry for 1year, something happens to the sinew as it dries, cant remember the details, but a chemical process improves the sinew, it doesnt just dry, this works better the slower it dries.  In hot countries they sometimes dried them in caves to slow the drying process, so be patient if you can to get the most out of your bow

[loefflerchuck]

What do you want out of your bow? Longer cure is better, but I've tillered them out after 2 weeks and had a great bow. One thing I will mention. I just made a sinew backed juniper, northern California wide thin paddle bow 44" long. 3 layers of sinew. Only let it cure for 2 weeks. tillered it out at 23". Looked perfect and would take an instant reflex of a couple inches right after being unstrung. Went to take a picture of it at full draw a week later and the tiller was way off and it gained 9 pounds.