pre-soaking sinew?

[WhistlingBadger]

OK, when backing a bow, do you pre-soak your sinew in warm water (and if so, how long), or do you simply get it wet with hide glue and slap it on?

[DV IN MN]

The few that I have done I have the sinew soaking in a luke warm water dish not to warm as to shrivel it. Hide glue in a crock pot double boiler. And need to watch the temp on the hide glue or it will shrivel the sinew also. The water allows for a smother flat lye and is more workable I feel,  but I am no where near as experienced as others on here.

[BowEd]

WB.....The state sinew is in before applying it onto a bow is a hands on experienced type thing to know when it is right.I mostly like dry stripped leg tendons here as they are fluffy and soften/absorb moisture quickly and lay flat after application.I have stripped leg tendons while wet and get more sinew from the leg tendon,but then the sinew should be applied onto the bow then too.
To let the wet sinew dry puts it into a hard cord type state that can take some time to resoften.Working it as it is soaked helps.
The same cordy state is with a lot of back strap sinew also.That needs to be soaked also before applying it.
I wonder if soaking hard cordy sinew then freezing and thawing it would soften it more??I'll have to try that once.
Either way like said you want a nice flat application melded into each other with the proper amount of hide glue for a superb sinew job.Taking for granted that your sizing is done properly beforehand also.

[WhistlingBadger]

OK, thanks guys.  Ed, that's exactly what I'm finding.  The leg tendons stripped out kind of fluffy and downy, and they soak up the glue really fast, maybe 10-20 seconds and they're good to go.  The back tendons came off in little wires, and they need some soaking, maybe a minute or so, before they'll do what I want.

I did size the bow several times.  Seven, I think?  It never did become glossy, but it does feel different from the bare wood.  Going to start laying some sinew tomorrow.  Wish me luck!  This is going to be a really cool bow.  Unless it explodes.  Then hopefully it'll be a really cool explosion.

[BowEd]

Good luck....Take your time and I'm sure it'll make a fine bow for you.