Sinew organization

[DC]

I'm sorting out my sinew in preparation for sinewing my horn bow. I'm getting a big triangular pile ranging from 6" to 18". I'm thinking of breaking it up into groups of various sizes for this and future projects. What I'm not sure of because I've only done one bow is what size groups I should divide it into. Is 2" divisions about right? That would be 6 bags, not too cumbersome to store.
This is more tedious than heat treating

[willie]

Don, does it matter if the sinew is segregated when applied? once it is glued it 's all one... or does using just  the longer strands make better bows?

[DC]

I'm not sure about that now that you mention it. In the hornbow book I'm basically following they say to cover the working limb with continuous strands. With a hornbow you can do that because the working limb is only about a foot long. I guess I'm guilty of overthinking----again.

[TimBo]

When I saw this topic, I thought it might be about the American Sinew Society, but then I remembered that you're Canadian...

[DC]

Am I missing something? I googled American Sinew Society and got nothing. Maybe the acronym
Willie, I've been thinking. Maybe on a "normal" sinewed bow where the sinew is applied in kind of a bricklayers pattern the length of the individual "bricks' doesn't matter much. But maybe on a hornbow, being so narrow, the overlap between the "bricks" may cause a thin/thick spot that may be an issue. Dunno, just speculating. Hornbow making is definitely the place for anal personalities though, it's just detail after detail. Some of them seem to be niggley but no one wants to argue with hundreds of years of success.

[maitus]

I think everything will be ok, if the last layer of sinew is in one peace in bending area.

[DC]

Yeah, with my last  layer I can cover the entire limb. I'll be fine.

[jeffp51]

sort it into bundles by length. You will have to comb it straight to apply it, so it will need to be in bundles anyway, not one big mass.  I have always seen these then laid down in a brick pattern, so that the ends overlap.

[Marc St Louis]

For a horn bow I wouldn't use anything below the midway point

[DC]

Do you mean the midway point in my pile of sinew?

[Marc St Louis]

Do you mean the midway point in my pile of sinew?

Yes

[simk]

don: brick pattern is mandatory. combing @ preparing bundles works perfect under running water - i always weigh the sinew, make two equal parts for each limb - then soak them seperatly in soap-water for some time - then rinsing under running water - while rinsing you do the combing and splitting into bundles - then apply - 2 pennies

[Stick Bender]

I like only using the longer peaces when I can  it's much easer to work the bundles down before the glue gelling & can work quicker if your going to use Pat M method it probably doesent matter as much I like using Elk sinew you get more bang for the buck !