Preparing Hide glue

[Beleg813]

Ok. So, I have this hide glue. A few bags of it anyway--and well, I recall a few vague mentionings of hide glue and its preparation. I wanted to be sure that you want to heat up the hide glue in water...without letting it boil and allowing it come to the consistency of syrup?

And, once that is the case I want to (after having beaten back sinew or leg sinew into thin fibers...) dip those in the hide glue and wrap ALL the way around the bow? or just lay them on the back of the bow? This part never really sunk in.

I just want to make sure I know all these things in case..my bow should have an "issue" or three and I might have to make some quick sinew repairs

Thanks!

[Hillbilly]

That's pretty much it. Mix it with cold water and then heat it up or it may ball up if you put it directly into hot water. A double boiler works good to keep it from getting too hot. If it's too hot, it will shrivel the sinew up and ruin it. Just warm enough to be slightly uncomfortable when you put your finger in it is about right. If you're backing a bow, lay it on the back, overlapping the bundles slightly and trying to keep the layer as even thickness as possible. If you're using it as a splint to hold down a splinter or something, wrap it all the way around. If you're sinew-backing a bow for the first time, read this first: http://groups.msn.com/ferretsarcherywebpage/bigbird.msnw. Jim Hamm has a good chapter in the first TBB about sinewing bows.

[Beleg813]

Thanks a ton Hillbilly! That helps a lot. I think, considering it's been about a year or two since I've read my bibles that I should pick them up again and use them to supplement the info I get on this site.

I just needed to hear someone say the exact process, appreciate it!

[TRACY]

Yeah thats pretty good advice. I started sinew backing by using Hamm's instruction from his book "Bows and Arrows of Native Americans". It overlaps a lot of TBB 1. I've had pretty good luck with that method.

[FVR]

I use a microwave.  Mix hot water with glue granules or knox, stick in the micro. for 30 seconds.  Let cool for a few minutes and use.

When it cools, stick it in the micro again.

Note:  tried this with gemsbok horn once, once.  Does not work.