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Sourwood and hill cane arrows for arrow trade
Pat B:
...now it's time for the sinew wrap. I use the longest strands of sinew I can get, generally is is backstrap sinew. I pull off a strand and chew it until it is soft then wrap around the shaft making sure the head is secured. Your saliva and the sinew makes it's one glue so no other glue is needed. I will seal all sinew wraps, at the point, the fletching and the self nock with pine pitch varnish, but that comes later. You can see the sinew wrap below the head on the shaft...
I am using 3 strands of sinew, added one at a time making sure the head is secure but also go about 1" below the head with the wrap to strengthen the end of the shaft and the connection. Once the point is secure and the sinew wrap is dry I trim the end of the shaft to be sure that there is a smooth transition from point to shaft for good arrow penetration. In this pic you can see the left side has been trimmed, the right side not yet...
...more to come
Pat B:
FYI...this is how I make the pitch varnish I use to seal sinew wraps. This is not a true varnish because it doesn't have any oil in it but it works just fine for what I use it for.
First you start with hard, brittle pitch. If you use softer pitch the varnish will remain sticky and not harden. I place the pitch nodules in a clean, air tight jar and cover it with denatured alcohol. Any alcohol will work even Ever Clear or moonshine. Other solvents will also work but denatured alcohol is the least dangerous to use.
The jar in the pic has had the ingredient in it for about an hour. It usually takes over night for all the pitch to dissolve into the solution. After this you can strain out the impurities which usually sink to the bottom. If any floats I remove it but don't worry about what's on the bottom.
To apply I use a small artist paint brush, dip it in the varnish and apply it to the sinew wrap. As soon as the alcohol evaporates the varnish is hard. Don't worry about cleaning the brush. The next time you use it it will soften when it goes in the varnish.
Allyn T:
Thanks for doing this build along pat, it's very helpful
burchett.donald:
Pat, I personally thank you for this Pitch Shellac "how to"...I have used this many times and have learned this from your posts years ago...I use it on all sinew backings and wraps, it's bullet proof as far as I am concerned and it's proven it's self to me over and over...Thanks again my friend, keep it coming...
Don
Pat B:
Don, years ago I read an article in PA Magazine about making varnish from tree sap. That's where I got the idea of pitch varnish and it does work well to seal sinew wraps.
Got all the points hafted for these trade arrows. At least one will go for the PA Arrow Trade.
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