Artificial sinew bowstrings?

[coyote pup]

Hey all, I recently bought a roll of this stuff and I can see where it would be really useful for a lot of things. Seems to me that it would work well for bowstrings, but I've been told that it really isn't because it's heavy. Would it really be that much heavier than any other string material? It seems pretty strong and I don't think it would have to be very thick. Does anyone use this?

CP

[Pat B]

Art sinew is very much like Dacron string material but stretches a lot. You will have to pre-stretch it to use for a bow string. A roll of Dacron B-50 isn't that expensive and will save you a lot of trouble.   Pat

[coyote pup]

Thanks for the reply Pat. Would you say it stretches more than real whitetail sinew?

[JackCrafty]

I'm pretty sure that most "art" sinew is made of waxed polypropylene....although you can get polyester art sinew as well.  Anyway, artificial sinew, if it's made of polypropylene, will stretch a lot more than real sinew, and will need to be pre-stretched (like Pat said).  If you let the stuff sit for a long time, you will need to pre-stretch it again.  I'm not sure about the polyester stuff but I do know it stretches less than the polypropylene.

[madcrow]

I had one.  Never could get the stretch out.  I even hung a 50 cal ammo can full of loaded 38 special bullets from.  If it set for a couple weeks, the splices for the loops would start unraveling, not just a little either.  I had to completely resplice a couple of times.  Ended up going with the dacron and using the artificial stuff on arrows and stuff.

[kismet]

i use it for kids bows exclusively.  i just wrap it around the bow tip to tip a few times. knot it, trim the knot, glue the knot, twist it up, and it is ready to go.  it is a bit stretchy, but the low poundage bows do not cause any trouble.  i could see how it may be way too stretchy for adult sized bows.

stan

[PatM]

 I think it depends on what it is made of. I have seen the nylon stuff stretch like elastic and I have seen other stuff be almost without stretch. The stuff that doesn't stretch is my favorite bowstring material by far.
  It looks good, twists very easily and lasts forever. It is the large roll that you would typically get from Tandy. The more natural beeswax tone rather than the more yellow stuff which seems to be the stretchy stuff.

[Badger]

  If you can buy the polyester it makes excellent bow strings, about the same as b50, the nylon is pretty much worthless for an adult bow. Steve

[sailordad]

I had one.  Never could get the stretch out.  I even hung a 50 cal ammo can full of loaded 38 special bullets from.  If it set for a couple weeks, the splices for the loops would start unraveling, not just a little either.  I had to completely resplice a couple of times.  Ended up going with the dacron and using the artificial stuff on arrows and stuff.

yup have the same problem
i only use it for tillering strings,all the bow strings i make are b50 dacron from 3r

[El Destructo]

It's great for Sewing Lether Sheaths and Holsters....but thats as far as I would go with it....not a Bow String....too much like waxed Dental Floss!!

[1/2primitive]

I don't know if I have the poyester stuff, but I've had good luck with it as bowstring materal. The only problem I have is it fraying at the nocking point, but serving fixes that. I normally use B-50, though.
I make my strings like Marc outlined in a previous PA mag. Works great.
I fogot to thank you, Marc.
      Sean

[ricktrojanowski]

I have made a few strings from the art. sinew.  I didn't know there was different types.  I guess I got lucky because it made good strings.  I made them the same thickness as a B 50 string with 2  seven strand bundles.