Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Horn Bows => Topic started by: DC on March 12, 2019, 10:28:38 am
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Ever since reading TBB I have been under the impression that hoof glue didn't exist. I was just reading a Wikipedia article that mentioned it so I did some further reading. Apparently it's real and is made much the same way as hide glue. It got me thinking that maybe a person could make a batch of hoof glue and pour it into a limb shaped mold to make a substitute for real horn. Has anyone else thought of, or tried this? Hoof glue is more flexible than hide glue so that's a plus. I just don't know if the processing would destroy all the good properties of horn/hoof. I'm assuming here that horn and hoof are the same. I know they are both keratin but there may be structural differences.
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Animal based glues are made from collagen, hooves are made from carotene, like fingernails. I'm not sure if hooves will make glue.
Also, I don't think Wikipedia is as reliable as your old Funk and Wagnel(sp).
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I've spent the morning looking for info. I agree about Wikipedia but you wouldn't think they could be that wrong. I found two sites that say it exists and two that say it doesn't. I guess I should try boiling up some hooves. My gut says that after a day of boiling I'll still have hooves in the bottom of the pot. Maybe when I'm here alone I'll try the pressure cooker ;D ;D
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Pretty hard to find some reliable information on hooves glue
here is on of the best I could find
add www to revolvy.com/page/Hoof-glue
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There is probably enough connective tissue in and around the foot to boil down and get glue but I imaging the hooves will still be intact.
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I've got some simmering now. I used some dog chew hoof pieces I had left from making bow tips. I ran them through my belt sander and caught the dust so there is no collagen in it, just keratin. I'm assuming that if primitive people made this stuff there is no need for pressure cooking. I'm supposed to mix an acid with it after it's boiled a while so I'll use vinegar, they would have had that.
The part that makes me doubt this is that there is so little info out there. If you search for hide glue you're set for three days of reading, hoof glue, maybe 10 minutes.
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Boiled quite a few deer hooves years ago to remove the toe bones. I agree with Pat. I think the glue would come from the cartilage and tissue rather than the hard part of the hoof. I doubt you could ever boil the hard part of the hoof long enough to break it down.
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OK I boiled the horn dust/shavings for six hours, strained of the liquid, added a touch of vinegar and let it sit outside to see if it would gel. After an hour of cooling I think what I've got is cold water and vinegar. As far as I'm concerned there is no such thing as hoof glue. There, that's settled ;D ;D ;D
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Hey, if nothing else you made me remember I still have all those deer hooves... probably be my next bow tips... thx!
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Hair, hooves and fingernails are keratin. Carotene is a chemical compound (carotenes, carotenoids) which give the orange colour to carrots and other plants. :)
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Got some hooves, read all the comments, best idea so far seems to be get the sinew and loosen the actual hooves for bow tips, clackers, or whatever. Save the hide and bones for other stuff! Long ago, I read that hoof glue was very good, but never found a recipe to make it. Hide glue, well, I got gelatine, and can mix in a bit of water if I decide I need it. Good comments! Don't have a pressure cooker, but that might work! They cook meat to mush! -C- >:D
Hawkdancer
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Thanks Lethis. I got my terminology wrong. DC might get better results boiling down carrots. At least he could eat his results. ;)
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I left the dish of "glue" out overnight. It didn't even try to gel. Carrots would make better glue. ;D
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I left the dish of "glue" out overnight. It didn't even try to gel. Carrots would make better glue. ;D
Better yet, use the carrots to catch Bugs Bunny and make hide glue from his outer wrappings. Rabbit skin glue is highly prized in bookbinding and restoring old paintings.
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I left the dish of "glue" out overnight. It didn't even try to gel. Carrots would make better glue. ;D
Better yet, use the carrots to catch Bugs Bunny and make hide glue from his outer wrappings. Rabbit skin glue is highly prized in bookbinding and restoring old paintings.
Now THAT is fascinating
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Good one JW ;D ;D if only there were more rabbits around here. They just moved in a few years ago.
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You can lure the rabbits in close by hiding in the gardens and making noises like a carrot. However,
the neighbors may think you are smoking funny stuff, or you flipped your lid >:D!
Hawkdancer
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Squirrels are pretty similar to rabbits, too. To lure them in, try sitting in a tree and sounding like a nut.
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Squirrels are pretty similar to rabbits, too. To lure them in, try sitting in a tree and sounding like a nut.
Every tree I have been in, had at least 2 nuts in it, sometimes 3 depending on how crazy im feeling that day.
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Squirrels are pretty similar to rabbits, too. To lure them in, try sitting in a tree and sounding like a nut.
You must have squirrels following around you all day JW ;D ;D ;D ;D
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This thread went nutty in a hurry! (lol). We still haven't solved the question of hoof glue, but rabbit and squirrel make good stew!
Hawkdancer
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The hoof glue is fictional to my satisfaction. I ate domestic rabbit once, it was good. I ate the hind leg of a Red Squirrel(our tiny local squirrels about the size of your chipmunks) and it tasted like pitch. Probably because they eat Fir and Balsom seeds :D