Pounding or soaking sinew

[BowEd]

I doubt it.You want all oil off etc. before using it too.

[PatM]

Is there a difference between fresh and soaked as far as this is concerned?

 The drying and then reconstituting it with water seems to do something to it that allows the separation to be easier.  Hard to say what that is but any natural product dried once and then wet again doesn't return to its original state. Doesn't matter if that's wood, rawhide, sinew or raisins.

[bradsmith2010]

sounds like a great idea, I will give it  a try on some sinew soon,
bowers bible #4 talks about Ishi making bow string by chewing fresh tendon and pulling apart,, or if the tendon was dry soakng it in warm water before chewing and teasing apart,,

[NorthHeart]

One of my issues with leg sinew vs. back sinew (besides its labor intensiveness in processing) is that the processed leg pieces seem thinner and weaker, where as my back sinew is stronger and of higher quality.

Is this just because i've been pounding the leg sinew with a hammer instead of soaking it like mentioned here.  Or is back sinew still going to be a superior finished product?

[PatM]

It's the pounding that degrades it.   Leg sinew is every bit as strong if not stronger than back sinew but the undoubted greater cross linking of the fibres causes destruction of the main fibres when processing.

  Water softening lets you pop those cross links apart much easier and your leg sinew will look just like back sinew strands.

[BowEd]

+1.

[NorthHeart]

It's the pounding that degrades it.   Leg sinew is every bit as strong if not stronger than back sinew but the undoubted greater cross linking of the fibres causes destruction of the main fibres when processing.

  Water softening lets you pop those cross links apart much easier and your leg sinew will look just like back sinew strands.

Outstanding, cant wait to try the soaking method.  What is your preferred method for degreasing it as well as possible?  Do you just wash it with soap?  Ive heard both good and bad on the use of bleach.

[PatM]

Dawn dish soap. and rinsing well.   No need for bleach at all.    It's of dubious use as a degreaser and probably does as much to break down protein molecules, which is the last thing you want.

[Mesophilic]

I'm believer now.

I just did the soak method on two little front leg tendons.  I was kind of amazed at the quality and quantity that came out of them.

The difficult part, on these particular ones, was separating the sleeve.  I had to slice it down the center then pull thw tendons out.  Also decided that a couple pairs of needle nose pliers comes in real handy till you get rhw tendons broke down in to smaller pieces.  From there a plastic backed thumb tack separates the fibers real well in a pinch.

I'll try some larger rear leg elk tendons next.

[Aaron H]

Gonna have to give this method a try.  Thanks Pat for yet another sinew tip

[wizardgoat]

I find it’s best to remove the casing on leg sinew before soaking, which requires just a little bit of pounding, not much.  Anyone who tries this will never pound leg sinew again.

[willie]

here is an account of sinew & prep I have been trying to locate,

go to page 13 for the bow and arrow stuff

https://digital.libraries.ou.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/BatteyTC/id/300

[DC]

I can't open that Willie. Do we have to modify it in any way?

[willie]

I think it should work, after a while maybe. the server is not responding at the time I tried it again.

[PatM]

Mason's book is available at the online archery library.