weatherproof sinew bow strings (how to)

[half eye]

Fellas,
     I found this discription of sinew bowstrings that were "impermeable to snow and rain". These in the report were made by the Tse'kehne and Carrier tribes of Native Americans.
     Both of the tribes made plain and sinew-backed bows but this method was used by both for their strings.

The following quoted from Otis Mason's 1893 report to the Smithsonian, and he is quoting Father A.G.Morice,  Trans. Canad. Inst. , Toronto, 1894, IV, 58,59.
     "Great care was taken to obtain a bow-string impermeable to snow and rain. With this object in view, delicate threads of sinew were twisted together and afterwards rubbed over with sturgeon glue. This first string was then gradually strengthened by additional sinew threads twisted around the first and main cord, each overlaying of sinew being thoroughly saturated with glue. Finally when the string had attained sufficient thickness for efficient service it was repeatedly rubbed over with gum of the black pine (Abies balsamea)"

a further quote of both reports describes the glue used as:

".....These pieces of sinew were fastened on with a glue obtained from the sturgeon sound, which also did service for all kinds of gluing purposes amoung each of the three tribes, while still in their prehistoric period."

This Sturgeon glue was obtained by boiling down the lower jaw and swim bladder of the sturgeon and was described as rather clear in appearance.

[Pappy]

Interesting read. Thanks
Pappy

[JackCrafty]

Hmmm... pitch from the Black Pine.  Make sense to me.

[Pat B]

Rich he called the tree Abies balsmaea (balsam fir). Native to a wide part of North America especially higher elevations.  The only black pine I know about is Japanese Black Pine(Pinus thunbergiana) That might have been a common name at the time.

[half eye]

I never heard of "black pine" either....I know different areas call trees by different names so the fact he put the scientific family in the report think you are are right....fir makes a lot more sense
rich

[ErictheViking]

Thats definately very cool, thanks for posting Rich

[sadiejane]

morning rich-thanks for posting. good info. that mason book is an amazing bit of history. it along with allely/hamms two books. i will never run outta projects. or something to read. i pick one or more up almost every single day. a blessing and a curse really. a blessing in that they are a tremendous and valuable resource. curse-i wanna make one (or more) of every item in all of em!(curse beings that i should be concentrating more of my time/energy on making enough $ to pay my bills...so many bows arrows and quivers-and so little time)