sinew prep

[bigcountry]

Is there any tips for working sinew?  I have several back sinew strips and 15 leg sinew. 

I do the pounding, and then separating.  But not sure how much separating to do.  Do I keep ripping until its the consistency of a limp thread?  It curles up alot when you get it down that much.  One guy suggested only pound and separate until white.

I have been using a comb and that has helped.  I saw the article in PA about using a metal flea brush like you use on dogs.  I will try that.

At first I was trying to tear completely off down to a fine thread and separate into length bundle, but figured out quick it would take a month of sundays.  So now on the leg sinew, I leave about 1cm piece of the tendon to hold it all together. 

This will bring me to another question.  I have read the TBB vol1 chapter on sinew.  But how do I lay this stuff?  I suppost I want to lay it so all fibers are flat as possible and not bunched up.  I suppose each course to be one thread high?  is this something like drywall mudding, where, its not about how thick the courses are but nice even thin courses?

Thanks for any ideas. 

[tommy6]

You want it thin enough that it gets limp when soaked, deer leg sinew thats about the same diameter as a pencil lead, maybe a bit thicker. Too thin and it tangles up and is harder to lay neatly. I usually take a bundle of 3 or 4 of these wet them in water let them become limp, remove excess water, dredge them through glue, remove xs glue and lay them on the bows back neatly, like stacking bricks, smooth them down with a wet finger or other smooth object.
I use TBIII so after 2-3 hours its dry. Than I add another layer. Often the sinew bundles will seperate as they dry, because they shrink. I  find that by letting each course dry before adding another I am able to fill in these empty areas with the next layer. Good luck and take your time, aint nothing fast about making a sinew bow, only shooting it!

[JackCrafty]

This is typically what my sinew (from the leg) looks like after I have processed it for making bowstrings.



I DO NOT comb the sinew.....combing will tear the sinew.  You can comb it if you like using short strands.

For backing bows, I don't separate the stands as thin as the pictures above.  Here's the link to my thread on making a sinew-backed bow:
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,9076.0.html

Hope that helps.

[TRACY]

I use hacksaw blades to lightly rough up the back to increase the surface area for the glue to bond better w/ wood and sinew(Hamm).Make sure you degrease and then size the back with hide glue before applying any sinew. For osage, acetone does a sufficient job of removing oils and resins. As for laying bundles, I keep them about 1/2 the width of a stick of gum, placing them end to end down the center and then start the next row on either side of the first, but stagger where the ends stop in relation to the first row( brick wall effect). Keep in mind there are many right ways to sinew a bow. Good luck and have fun.

Tracy

[bigcountry]

Thanks guys.  I didn't know people wrapped the sinew with twine.  Is this common?  I can see how it would be benfitical to get out the moisture.

[Pat B]

I wrapped the ones I made with either Ace bandage or strips of old bed sheets like I do for snake skins. After the glue has set some you can remove the wrap. This will flatten the sinew. I also strung my bows backwards(not quite as far as your last one! ) about 3" before sinewing to add reflex. By the end of the month drying time the string was slack.   

[JackCrafty]

Bigcountry....as far as wrapping with twine....I'm the only one I know that uses it.  (I like to be able to put a good deal of pressure on the sinew if I feel the need). Ishi wrapped his sinew with strips of bark, I think.  Everyone else uses ace bandages, as far as I can tell.

[bigcountry]

Thanks for the replies.  I am planning on using knox gellitan.  I heard better is out there?

[bigcountry]

Here is my sinew.  Question again?  Should I mix this back sinew with my leg sinew?  And does everyone's back sinew off color like this?  I tried to get all the meat off I could

Back sinew


Fine shredded sinew


Course sinew

[JackCrafty]

Yep, back sinew is darker than leg sinew.  I think it's because you don't have to pound the back sinew to get it to separate.  If you pounded the back sinew I think it would look just like leg sinew.  The only thing I've noticed that's different is that back sinew can be a bit greasy.

Also, I try not to mix the two...but that's just me.