Sinew question...

[Pappy]

Sounds like you are going to be busy,thought this would fit better here.
   Pappy

[JW_Halverson]

  Now I just have to wait for the current batch of tendons to dry.  I should have a truck load more here real soon from the same guy- gun season starts this weekend.  On the way back from getting the first batch, I found another processor just down the road from my house that I never knew about who said he butchers over 300 deer each year. He also said he would save all the legs for me for free.  It can be a ton of work, but I sure as heck don't care- all that sinew will be worth it!

I can see it now, he'll sinew back everything from now on! 

Wife: Oh darn, chipped a nail!
TurtleCreek:  I'll heat the hideglue, you get out the short sinew!

[Gus]

Cool Thread...

Capital Idea TC!

I'm working on a couple of Processor Contacts even as we speak.
Hopefully I'll get my Tendon Jump Wings in the very near future!

-gus

[TurtleCreek]

  The first batch wasn't as big as I had thought, but still, 20 legs is a great starting point.  I took out all the tendons from both the front and back of all the legs.  I was pretty surprised at the size of some of the rear leg tendons, with a little over a dozen of them being over 11 inches long.  These longer ones came from the legs that were cut off above the knee joint which allowed me to cut the tendon where it entered the muscle and it provided a tendon about 2 inches longer than the others.  The rest of the tendons are anywhere between 8 to 11 inches long.  I should be getting a lot more this monday.  I plan on using a lot of it as trade items, especially the bigger tendons.

[Gus]

Just got through harvesting the sinew off of seventy legs.
But have a question. Are y'all taking the sinew off the front side of the legs as well?
Or are you just taking the main bundle off of the back side of the legs?
Also, do you liberate the two main tendons from the gristle where the main bundle splits in the ankle or just take that whole bundle off at once, gristle and all?

To this point I'm taking the front side tendons.
And I'm liberating the lower sections at the "Y" through the gristle on the back side and leaving the gristle behind.

Should be picking up another load of legs tomorrow and the processor says he has saved a load of back sinew for me this time as well.

I hear that masters can harvest the tendons from a leg in about 30 seconds or less per leg...
Its taking me about four or five minutes per leg when my knife is fresh.

Thank You.

-gus

[footfootfoot]

Sinew?
Nothing, what sinew with you?

Thanks folks, I'll be here all week. Try the elk.