Rice glue for Asiatic composites?

[jtaylor]

In a very old issue of Primitive Archer, I came across a quote attributed to Jaap Koppedrayer that Asiatic composites were sometimes assembled using rice glue.  I've never heard of rice glue for bows.  Does anyone have any info on rice glues?

Thx guys

[HanibalLecter(InnerSmile)]

Sounds Japanese. On page 240 of War Bows by Mike Loades it says that yumi laminate bows (non-horn by definition) were sometimes made with rice glue, but most were made with deer hide glue. Verify it at google books.

Yumi laminate bows bend considerably less than continental horn bows and are under a great deal less stress.

[AndrewS]

Rice glue is probably a starch glue, because rice contains a lot of starch. As long as there is no moisture involved / nearby, a starch adhesive should hold very well. Shoemakers classically take such a starch glue for the lining and other gluing inside the shoe - since the Middle Ages.

[dylanholderman]

not bowmaking but i'm pretty sure rice glue is used to hold the skin heads on Japanese shamisen so it might be worth experimenting with.