old buffalo sinew

[zinger]

I have some old buffalo sinew I got about 10 years ago from a bison farm that used to be in the area. They just gave me some legs from one they had just slaughtered, and I did the rest at home. I put it in a round cardboard tube after the tendons dried (I only pounded a little of it into usable sinew) and threw in some baking soda to inhibit mold. I checked again today, ready to finally make my first sinew-backed bow, but found that most of the pieces have a waxy coating on them that is somewhat greasy. There is also small areas of mold that is blue-colored. I pounded some strands out of one piece and found that the strength was just fine but couldn't help but note that at least a little bit of the greasyness had gotten on the inner strands from the outside waxy layer. So my question is - is this almost minute amount of grease something to be concerned about? Will it actually cause slippage/lack of adherence with the hide glue? Is it no big deal? I was thinking that maybe I could actually wash the sinew a mix of rubbing alcohol and water (cold of course), or something else. Appreciate any help here. 

[JW_Halverson]

Alcohol is not all that effective at removing grease.  You might want to use Dawn dishwashing liquid detergent and warm water.  It is good at cutting organic greases.

Re-dry the sinew by placing it on a flat surface somewhere warm and with a fan blowing slowly across it. 

[zinger]

Darn-so it is a problem. I'll give that a try, but doubt it will remove all of it, sinew strands being so intertwined and all. I would guess that if the water is almost hot to the touch it will be ok, I hope. The warmer you can get the water the better the grease will come off, but I don't want to push it with the temp and ruin the sinew.

[JW_Halverson]

Soap makes water "wetter", it's going to get into every little nook and cranny.  Just make sure you rinse in plenty of cold water to get as much soap out as possible.

[zinger]

Gotcha. Man I love the Black Hills! Spent a whole lot of time there in the 80's backpacking and hitchhiking around, often staying in Hot Springs at the Best Western (run by 2 middle-aged cowgirls). I loved camping out in Wind Cave NP (which was really against the rules but I did it anyways). Incredible and inspiring beauty there. Man you are lucky.

[BowEd]

Next time zinger when you get some sinew make sure it is cleaned good and proper before you dry it.You should be ok with your current sinew to use.

[Pat B]

I wash all sinew in warm water and Dawn dish soap just before adding it to a bow. I also degrease the bows back with Dawn and rince with boilin water. Works well for both the sinew and bow.

[JW_Halverson]

Gotcha. Man I love the Black Hills! Spent a whole lot of time there in the 80's backpacking and hitchhiking around, often staying in Hot Springs at the Best Western (run by 2 middle-aged cowgirls). I loved camping out in Wind Cave NP (which was really against the rules but I did it anyways). Incredible and inspiring beauty there. Man you are lucky.

I've never overnited in Wind Cave, but I got treed by a snotty buffalo cow and her calf there once! She spent three hours of her life working out just how she was gonna climb that spindly little ponderosa pine while I "relaxed".