rawhide string.....done

[ozy clint]

i made a rawhide string for my selfbow today. i cut a single strip of rawhide about 7mm wide and about 4m long last night and soaked it overnight. this morning i sat down and made it. first you stretch it along the whole length. then i take each end of the strand and bring them together, basically double it over. then about 8 inches from the end i twist a 2 inch section together and double it over to form the top loop then flemish twist the ends into the main body as per normal for a flemish loop string. then i place the loop over a piece of 5/8" dowel to hold the loop open and to hang some weights from while twisting the string up. with the string hanging from the dowel i then find the center of the strand (the bottom) and cut it. now you have 2 strands the same length. then i tie a 3L milk bottle filled with water to each strand and let them hang. this puts equal load on each strand while twisting. then just twist the strands together by turning the two bottles around together ensuring you twist them the same way the flemish loop is twisted or it will come apart. when it's twisted tight and it's nice and round hold the bottles somehow so they don't allow the twist out of the string while it dries. so simple a cave man could do it.

for the bottom loop i just use a timber hitch.

just got to put some rawhide rabbit fur silencers on and dress it with some duck fat for water resistance.

tell you what, hunting with this stuff is going to be like stepping back into time. fashioning your own weapons from natural materials........it just makes you smile!

[mikekeswick]

Very good string.
One thing tho is if you use a timber hitch you should make that section about 1/3rd thicker than the rest of the string. The knot places quite a bit more stress on the section a few inches above it.

[ozy clint]

i have thought of doing that as my last one broke on the bottom loop. i think it broke on the sharp bend of the timber hitch. how would you know what part of the strand to cut wider so that when it's twisted it ends up being at that spot???

still i'm very happy since it's the 2nd primitive string i've ever made

is there a better way to make a bottom loop?

[Bowman]

Fantastic. What kind of animal is the best suitable for making rawhide strings? Is there any "buildalong's" on the forum?
 

[autologus]

i have thought of doing that as my last one broke on the bottom loop. i think it broke on the sharp bend of the timber hitch. how would you know what part of the strand to cut wider so that when it's twisted it ends up being at that spot???

still i'm very happy since it's the 2nd primitive string i've ever made

is there a better way to make a bottom loop?

Cut a third strand about 12 inches long and twist it into the bottom section to make it thicker.

[Parnell]

Very nice job!  So, is it deer rawhide?

Also, does the rawhide strip need to be cut from a straight piece, or can you cut it from a round piece, in a circular fashion?

[steve b.]

That's great.  What is the story on these strings, as far as strength?  Is there a bow weight limit for these type strings?

Ozy, what wood is that great looking bow?

[sharpend60]

How does it shoot?

I'll get around to making a string like this one of these days,.

[Deo]

Awesome bow string, I have been wanting to make one for awhile. In Al Herrins book cherokee bows and arrows he said the best rawhide bowstring comes from the smaller critters especially squirrels being at the top of the list. Let us know how well it holds up.