Red artificial sinew ???

[Elen Sentier]

Does anyone have any or know a good place where I can get some? Want it in RED. Saw there was a group buy back in 2008 so thought I'd ask here before going to ebay etc.

Also, are there instructions anywhere on how to do real sinew? I have a piece of deer-shin sinew and would like to practice.

 

[Cromm]

Hi,
What you need to do with the real stuff is place it on a hard smooth surface then bash all along it with a hammer, making sure you go up and down the length and from side to side. This will make it start to come apart, what you then will have to do is get a bit of wood up knock a load of thin nails into it so let stick out the other side like a brush. Then turn the wood over put it in a vise and then drag/brush the sinew though the nails. The more you do the finer the sinew will be.
As to the red sinew do you mean letter box red or a reddish tint? I have a reel of the second type that I do not like, I could send you some?

 

[Elen Sentier]

Reddish tint would probably be fine, thank you. will PM you

Dealing with the real stuff sounds heavy work for me (arthritis) so may not happen unfortunately.

 

[Toddy]

You can work it with a rolling pin too Elin. It kind of needs worked until it softens out and by then you should be able to see fibres. If you are careful you can sort of peel them bit by bit.
These are one of the fibres that folks used to work with their mouths, but unlike flax it'll not break your mouth out in sores.

Sounds kind of gross to folks nowadays but it worked for millenia. Once you do get the tendon soft, if you can keep it in a pouch of something greasy, it'll be easier to use. Traditionally it was a bag made from birdskin that was used. Pluck the bird, sook off the fat inside the skin (carefully, you don't want to pull the feathers through the skin, and work it until its soft and flexible. Then smoke it. Turn it inside out and the grease in the feathers will keep the sinew in good condition. Don't let it get damp though, just keep it cold.

Alternatively you could use Willowbark's recipe and instructions

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9971

Artificial sinew makes life easy but it's good to know how to do without, iimmc.

cheers,
M