Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: bigcountry on June 21, 2009, 04:20:57 pm
-
Well, I got in contact with a bison farm near my house. He gave me 6lbs of back sinew. But I really didn't know what I got mysefl into. The stuff is thick, greasy , and feels like rubber band. I mean real greasy. I can't figure out how to dry the stuff out. I usually put my deer sinew in a dehydrator for a few hours. But this stuff won't dry.
So I ripped it up into strips, and put back in. My next step I guess is to wash the strips in dawn and water and put back in the dehydrator.
I mean this stuff is over 1/4" or more thick. I guess I expected a nice thin layer off the back like off an elk or deer but about 25" long.
Any tips?
-
PM sent.
-
Here is what it looks like. Nothing like imagined.
(http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn73/bigcountry_ky/Sinew/bisonsinew.jpg)
-
That don't look like sinew to me,especially back sinew. That looks like the strip that lays along the backbone.I'm not sure what it is called, but it ain't sinew?
-
That don't look like sinew to me,especially back sinew. That looks like the strip that lays along the backbone.I'm not sure what it is called, but it ain't sinew?
Yep, back sinew. Not leg sinew. You think it should look different for a bison? Or cow?
-
So is this sinew off of the back loins? I guess I am confused here? ???
-
So is this sinew off of the back loins? I guess I am confused here? ???
Thats what the butcher said. I got about 5 pieces almost dried and shredded to smaller pieces. So I don't know.
-
It looks real thick, and doesn't look that long for bison sinew. How long is it? As thick as it is, it will take a long time to dry, probably a couple days, as opposed to deer leg sinew that dries in a few hours. Couldn't tell ya anything more as I have never worked with bison sinew myself. But I wouldn't worry too much about it. If the guys said it's sinew, it probably is.
I do have one suggestion for ya. Take one piece and filet it open down the middle, and you might as well do the whole length so you end up with two halves. See what it's like in the middle. I would say it should be sort of shiny-white, semi glossy and not very greasy at all, as opposed to the outside. Shouldn't be any meat on it, if there is cut it off before it starts stinkin, also, because meat or fat will keep it feeling greasy. I have dealt with whitetail sinew before that stayed greasy forever, but it did dry ok. You just have to give it some time.
-
It looks real thick, and doesn't look that long for bison sinew. How long is it? As thick as it is, it will take a long time to dry, probably a couple days, as opposed to deer leg sinew that dries in a few hours. Couldn't tell ya anything more as I have never worked with bison sinew myself. But I wouldn't worry too much about it. If the guys said it's sinew, it probably is.
I do have one suggestion for ya. Take one piece and filet it open down the middle, and you might as well do the whole length so you end up with two halves. See what it's like in the middle. I would say it should be sort of shiny-white, semi glossy and not very greasy at all, as opposed to the outside. Shouldn't be any meat on it, if there is cut it off before it starts stinkin, also, because meat or fat will keep it feeling greasy. I have dealt with whitetail sinew before that stayed greasy forever, but it did dry ok. You just have to give it some time.
It looksl ike cow leg sinew in the middle after drying in my dehydrator for a while. Really stretchy. Its some sort of tendon, thats for srue.
-
Should be good stuff. I'm envious. How long is it?
-
Ive never worked with sinew. When I get froggy, Im going to be giving you a call Mark for advice. ;)
-
Like timo says, doesn't look like loin sinew! I was a professional butcher in my younger days, and have cut on alot of different animals. Silver skin as it is called is just a sheath covering the loin, ask him for that. What you have looks like spinal cord. Good shootin, Steve
-
That sure doesn't look like any sinew I've ever seen!
-
looks too thick, is it a fat covering on top of the actual sinew? silver skin is silver skin be it deer, elk, wooly mammoth. should just be a thin layer.
VB
-
I don't know if its too thick or not. Has anyone on here seen back sinew from a bison? I am just trying to figure out what I got.
I am sending mullet 2.5lbs of it, and he can show us how to work it. ;D
-
Ok, I just said to myself, I should call the butcher and bother them. They said they won't take the time to take off the silverskin off the back straps, due to damage to the meat. But they said this is the tendon that connects the back to the neck and said some use this for primitive projects.
Glad I got it figured out. Still don't have what I want. But after drying it and tearing it into quarters, it seems like will work for wrappings and such.
Hope mullet still wants it.
-
that looks just like the neck tendin I got a few weeks ago I ended up tossing is cause it would stretch then snap just like a rubberband. :)
-
that looks just like the neck tendin I got a few weeks ago I ended up tossing is cause it would stretch then snap just like a rubberband. :)
I think your right. All the stuff I dried snaps like a twig now.
-
Sorry to hear that, I even Rebacked my osage plaines bow with Deer sinew Because i was doubting the neck tendin, now if I would have started with the cow leg tendin, that may have been been ok.Phillip
-
After seeing how it acted after being dried, I don't think I want it on a bow. Guess I have to toss all of it. Glad I found out what it was before shipping to mullet.
-
Wonder if the stuff would make hide glue?
-
I didn`t know what it actually, when I got horsetendons some day. It was fat and cracked into little parts. It was sinew, but was the problem? I don`t know. The next horsesinew was okay. It behaved like all the others I`ve worked with.
Regards Uwe
-
I tried to make glue But it Was still full of Grease and I know that Cow Leg tendin Does work Ok I should Have Listened to Mark in Eng.
-
Hi Guys, The topic of neck sinews has come up before. Payne-Galway mentions it as the sinew to use for crossbows, etc., but it does not work! It won't dry or shred properly. Dispose of it and get back or leg sinews. Ron
-
I tossed it. wasted time but lesson learned. I still have 5lbs of it in the freezer. I plan on throwing it away too. I wonder if one could make hide glue from it?