Hide glue or knox to sinew back?

[wstanley]

I usually make sinew glue from my scraps, but I’m all out. My next choice would be to used hide glue but it sounds like if you buy it online there is too much variability in strength? Is there a reputable brand of hide glue that would be similar to sinew glue? And does Knox do the job? Which one is better?

Thanks

[BowEd]

What I've used before on horn bows with 11+ inches of reflex with success is Fredrix canvas sizing glue.I think it was around $25.00 for a pound of it in a small plastic tub.I keep a variety of different types of home made hide,sinew,knox,and fish bladder glue around.They all work plenty good enough for me.

[bownarra]

They are essentially all the same thing.
If it gels when you cool it - it is strong enough to sinew back a wood bow.
Only once you start getting into hornbows (with their much tighter bend radius) do you need to startbeing picky about your specific glue.

[Pat B]

The hide glue in the can in this pic is what I use. It came from Dick Blick Art Supply and is a canvas sizing for oil paint.

[wstanley]

Thanks all very informative.

[mmattockx]

And does Knox do the job?

I haven't sinewed a whole bow, but I used Knox gelatin to glue a patch over a pin knot on the back of a bow and it is still there ~1500 shots later. I see no reason why it wouldn't do the same job on sinew as well.


Mark

[Eric Krewson]

I have used granulated hide glue from an archery supplier and Knox, I couldn't tell any difference except the Knox smelled better.

[boomhowzer]

I ran out of homemade hide glue in the middle of my last arrow build and I used Titebond III with impressive results. I would imagine there’s some shrinking action you miss out on with TB III compared to a hide glue or similar, but what do you guys think? Is it a decent substitute?