How long?

[stuckinthemud]

Feeling slightly depressed, I've just finished un-bundling half a dozen sinews, taking them down fine, washed and finally ready for glueing - major milestone in my bow-building career, BUT, boy its taken a LONG time, like an hour to un-pick each sinew (6 hours) then another two to go through the bundles, sorting into length and another couple to scrape off the last bits of gunk and sort out the rubbish - so I reckon its taken north of 10 hours to prep 3 oz.  Hoping the next few ounces go a bit quicker!!

[Pat B]

The more you do the quicker you'll get. I try not to consider time. If it all works out it is worth every minute, for me at least.

[Badger]

  Did you pound the sinew before stripping it? I find when I strip mine down it comes out pretty clean without washing. I work mine dry. I think it would be a good deal to develop a hammer just for pounding sinew. I use a metal hammer.

[stuckinthemud]

I soaked the leg sinew and pulled it apart with two pliers, no pounding. Most of it pulled apart fairly easily although it could be a bit of a wrestle, especially around the knot at the 'y' but some of the sinews had bits of the sheath stuck on them needing scraping down with my thumb nails.  Some were greasy but that will come off when I wash the sinew bundles and apply the glue - I ran a test .  The silver-skin was only dried for about a week before I stripped it and that was like a dream, just pulled apart with my finger nails.

[Aaron H]

Be careful using pliers, they can damage / sever the fibers,  losing considerable strength

[stuckinthemud]

True dat.  Found out the hard way 

[High-Desert]

That time frame seemed about right to me. It's a tedious process. I have found myself not getting any better or faster at it.