sinew preference

[Justin Snyder]

OK guys, we have a general concensus that wild sinew is better than beef sinew.  Now tell me a little more about your personal preference.  I have never sinew backed a bow. I have a couple of projects I want to do. Actually I have 1 project, but I think practice might be in order before I start the sinew on the project. What do you think Bob, a little practice before I start that project. 
If you are backing a bow do you prefer backstrap sinew or leg sinew?
Do you separate it down to the finest you can or use a little larger pieces.
How many pieces does it take to do 1 layer on a bow. 42" long and 1 1/4" wide
Thanks, Justin

[D. Tiller]

Leg sinew for me! Save the bacstrap for bowstrings and binding points and feathers.

[Hillbilly]

The couple of bows I've sinew-backed, I used deer leg sinew and pulled it apart into really small pieces. Backstrap sinew would work, but the leg sinew seems a bit softer. If I was gonna sinew a shorty like that, I would put at least three courses on it. It'll probably take at least two or three pieces to do each course, maybe more depending on how long it is. The pics I've seen of the cross sections of the short plains-style bows, the sinew is usually about a third or fourth of the thickness of the wood.

[Justin Snyder]

Thanks guys.  Leg sinew is a little easier to get.  I can cut the legs off of road kill.  Digging into the backstraps on road kill is a little more intrusive than I usually like to get on the stinky buggers.    I do need to make a string though out of the backstrap though.
Steve, I'm actually planning 4 layers, but you answered my question. 3 pieces per layer.   Justin

[sonny]

same as folks above in that I prefer leg sinew but would like to point out that I generally leave the strands of sinew more "ribbon-like" , meaning that they could be shredded into two or three, possibly even more, finer strands. These sinew ribbons seem to make the job a little quicker.
 

[Trapper]

Justin email me man and I will talk you through the whole thing and show you some stuff too that aint written.  Trapper

[Pat B]

On the 3 sinew backed bows I've made the sinew was already shredded when I got it. Some was emu and on Elkie, elk!    Justin, I have some leg sinews if you need some. They aren't shredded.
  Pat

[Justin Snyder]

Pat, if you just want to practice shredding, I will let you prep it first. No need to thank me, that is just the nice kind of guy that I am. Justin

[Pat B]

I can't even get myself to shred it. If I were you, I wouldn't wait!      Pat

[jkekoni]

I have heard that moose sinew is better that deer/whitetail sinew and longer. This is quite commonly hunted animal in Finland.
(but not bow legal  )

I have also heard that Ostrich produces good sinew and even longer and there are some farms.
The sinew is not collected, so it may be available cheaply, if you call the right time.

I should contact some Moose hunters this summer so I could get my share when the hunting starts, I know none personally but
I know people who rent land or who know hunters. The legs are generally considered to be without value and therefore generally fed to dogs or thrown away.

[Justin Snyder]

Thanks jkekoni,  We had a huge ostrich farm here for years, but the market went bad and they shut down. 
I keep trying to get the elk hunters to save me the legs. Most guys cut them off at the knee and leave them on the hillside. You have to get the animal off the mountain, but you dont have to cary that extra 25#. Justin