sinew backing-glue options

[Papa Matt]

Hi brothers,

  Any of ya's that have successfully done sinew backing that can tell me if there are any glues that are good besides natural hide glue? Specifically is Titebond II wood glue good for this? (not the liquid hide). I tried the Titebond liquid hide once and found that it never dries and is permanently sticky, I DO NOT RECOMMEND ANYONE TRYING TO DO A SINEW BACKING WITH IT.


Matt

[Pat B]

Some have used TBIII for sinew backing with good success. I have use it over sinew and it is compatible.
   The deal with the liquid hide glue is it has a shelf life and if old it won't aror at least is very slow at curing. You can use Knox unflavored gelatin for sinew backed bows. Many folks have used this with success, some with not so good success.  Gelatin is refined, food quality hide glue. Your best option is to use good quality hide glue.     Pat

[adb]

I've used household Knox Gelatin. It's basically hide glue. Worked super.

[Lost Arra]

Titebond sounds easier since it just comes out of a bottle but when using sinew and actually applying it to a bow the hide glue is really easier for me.

I would suggest "practicing" with whatever glue you use and apply some sinew to a board to get by that initial messy stage.

There are all sort of arguments for/against TB vs hide glue but the end result is probably: " it doesn't matter".

[shamus]

+1 for Knox gelatin. You can find it at the grocery store.

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

How many packages of Knox do you use for one layer of sinew ?

[adb]

Seems to me that 1 package of Knox was enough for each layer. It gels fairly quick, but it's very cheap, only a couple bucks per package. You have to use some sort of good finish, cuz gelatin is not waterproof, at all!

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

So you mean the for envelopes in one box for one layer rigth ?

[Pat B]

Manny, Each box has 4 or so packets of gelatin in it. One or 2 envelopes will do for each layer. It is cheap enough so you shouldn't mind wasting a bit if 2 pks are too much.     Pat

[adb]

Hey, Nomadic... to be perfectly honest, I don't remember. I live in Canada, and the Knox came in one small package. I just mixed up a bunch in a pan with warm water. Enough to do one layer, and because it's so cheap, I just chucked it and mixed up new stuff for the next layer. Let the first layer dry well! Seems to me it took at least a week (of mostly waiting) between layers.

[Papa Matt]

Brothers,

  Thanks for all the great info!!

[majsnuff]

Knoxx works great. AND is easy to get. I did get some good hide glue on e-bay from a supplier that specialized in materiel for violins and such. Seems glue quality is pretty important to those things too. Any way I used the stuff on a Vine Maple Holmgaard that I backed with sinew and snake skin.

[adb]

Hey, would you be willing to post some pics of that Holmegaard, with the sinew and SSs?