Main Discussion Area > Primitive Skills
How do I sinew?
Pat B:
Get a packet of Knox unflavored gelatin from the grocery store. It is food grade, very refined hide glue.
You can wash the sinew in warm water and dish detergent. It will degrease it and hopefully help it smell like a clean big dog. ;)
DC:
Use Knox like Pat says or if you want to make your own hide glue rawhide dog chews work really well. I think they have been degreased. I soak it until it's soft enough to cut with scissors. Cut it into 1\8" strips and simmer slowly for 8 hours or so. Because there is no meat or grease it makes a very clean clear glue.
loon:
Thanks guys. Might try a mortar and pestle..
loon:
Does chewing it break fibers?
Should it be pounded wet?
loon:
what I've found out until now
- Chewing too much gets rid of the glue, but if one has hide glue or similar separately it doesn't matter
- probably want to chew gently to avoid breaking fibers
- pounding with a rough/sharp rock can break fibers... use a smooth rock. I made a rather big dimple on the edge of the mortar when trying to beat the sinew to break it apart, a heavy smooth rock works better... would probably need to go near a river or something :\
- should probably pound dry?
- I think I'd much rather just have backstrap sinew if I could
Wonder how a sinew bowstring compares to a rawhide bowstring and a gut bowstring...
I've gotten a few fibers now, lots of them uneven and with big globs in between, but managed to wrap around a bamboo shaft for the nock and below the notches of my bow.
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