Proposition 2 Sinew??? VOTE NOW

[Justin Snyder]

I'll say if you live in an area with high humidity leave it natural. If you live where it is relatively dry, sinew it. 

Cant argue with that.

[blackhawk]

PD and tatoodave....u just want me to push the limits....if I get more air backers than sinewers ill do it.

Yes Soy...you heard right in my tone of voice...I got the icthing to sinew again,even tho I got two bows that were sinewed back in july waiting to be finish tillered out.

Ryoon...that is a concern if left unbacked I might loose too much setback and put a hurting on the wood more.

Humidity isn't too much of a concern here Pat....yeah it gets muggy in the summer,but its ok if stored in a controlled environment between shorter shooting sessions. And by fall hunting season comes it goes down.

Jonw...its more for help in retaining setback and keeping a lower amount of set incurring...so yeah for performance.

Coaster...the billets aren't even glued together yet,there just clamped in the picture. Yes the sinew will reflex it more...which is desired .....and refer to my answer to your first question for the answer to your last question...lol ...


Thanks everyone so far.....keep the votes coming guys....you all decide the fate of this wood 

[bubby]

I say sinew it and then incase the bow in intestine, that otta help with humidity, Bub

[Will H]

AIR

[MWirwicki]

3 layers of sinew, Chris.  That's what I'd do.

[Josh B]

Thin air!

[mikekeswick]

I'd trap the back to 1 inch wide then sinew and make the first layer cover the whole back, 2nd layer more concentrated in the middle and 3 rd layer right down the center of the back. What I think a lot of folks forget about sinew is that on a wooden bow it is only ever strained about 1/4 of it's potential.....crown it and make it work. I've had good results with this method. Plus it keeps the amount of sinew shredding down to a minimum.

[gstoneberg]

 You can go either way, but your tillering needs to be spot on if you don't back it.  If it were my bow and I had the sinew shredded, I'd probably back it, but I'd feather it out before the recurves.  Too big a pain to keep it stuck down through those curves and not needed there anyway.

George

[blackhawk]

I'd trap the back to 1 inch wide then sinew and make the first layer cover the whole back, 2nd layer more concentrated in the middle and 3 rd layer right down the center of the back. What I think a lot of folks forget about sinew is that on a wooden bow it is only ever strained about 1/4 of it's potential.....crown it and make it work. I've had good results with this method. Plus it keeps the amount of sinew shredding down to a minimum.

Good idea on the trapping Mike...how come I didn't think of that?...your a smart feller. Other than the trapping,when I sinew that's how I normally do it though.

George I always feather and thin the sinew out towards the tips,but thanks for reminding.

[Pappy]

I would probably sinew back it  2 or 3 layers. Either way it should be a shooter,HH will handle that I feel sure backed or not if it's clean and looks like it is.
   Pappy

[blackhawk]

Yeah Pappy..I wouldn't have employed this design if the wood wasn't clean,straight,and dense. That's why I felt I could get away without backing. This is really primo HHB. My buddy bill already made the first bow from this lot of staves from a tree I harvested. And don't quote me,and maybe he'll chime in and correct me,but the dimensions I say are close enough and gives ya an idea of how good the wood is. He just made one about 62"ntn long 1 1/8" or 1 1/4"wide D/R design stiff handled bow that pulls 43@26"....and it took normal set and no frets. 
good HHB is good stuff...

Its looking like a landslide vote for sinew so far

[Dean Marlow]

HHB is my favorite whitewood. I would put 2 layers of sinew on it. Then if you are worried about moisture cover it with a nice snake skin and seal it with something like tru oil. Dean

[coaster500]

This is very new to me and a whole new concept... I don't want to rob your post but I have to ask  :embarassed:

By stacking the sinew in progressively narrower rows (kind of reverse trap?), does it relieve some of the stress from the belly on the trapped limb or add more? Sorry to ask but I'm trying to wrap to brain around how it works.

[mikekeswick]

When the backs surface is crowned or rounded instead of flat there is more stress in the center or highest part. When using sinew it's a good thing to remember that it's heavier than wood, so for it to not be 'dead weight' it needs to be stressed more than a wooden back. You get the best results with it when you get it to stretch more than wood can handle(more than 1%) in real terms that means reflexing the bow lots!

[blackhawk]

Coaster....some woods are significantly stronger in tension than compression,and by making the back narrower it loads more stress on the back and releives stress on the belly.

And good description mike...and yes ill reflex it by more by heat treating and letting the sinew induce even more ....the HHB should take it as I thinks its pretty elastic and strong in shear strength.....hmmmmm.....maybe I should get some horn and and slap it on the belly and really pull in some reflex...now were talking...lol


And I can't argue with ya dean about HHB being a favorite whitewood