Sinew backed bows

[jojo]

Hi to everyone. Apart from knives, i make my own bows, i have made about 1/2 douzain of them so far. My latest creation! are two small bows which I intend to back with sinew. I have got the sinew and some hide glue and I have read about it but not attempted it yet. Anyone has had the experience? I would appreciate advice on this. Thanks

 

[Snufkin]

Yep, I've done a couple of sinew backed bows. The worst job is processing the sinew, tough on the fingers (and teeth!). If you follow the chapter on sinew backing from the traditional bowyers bible you can't go far wrong.
My method is to set up in my kitchen. I have the sink on my left, in front of me I have my sinew arranged in small bundles of six or seven strands of similar length and on my right I have the hide glue in a double boiler on the stove. The bow is behind me on my workmate. I'll take three or four bundles and put them in the sink that is full of warm water to soak. I have a couple of kitchen knives in the bottom that I tuck the bundles under to keep them together. After they've soaked for a while I fish a bundle out, squeeze the water out and soak well in the hide glue. Then I squeeze out the excess glue and apply to the well sized bow. Then repeat. The beauty of having your sinew in the sink is you wash your hands while you are reaching for the sinew as that hide glue is sticky stuff.
Good luck on the bow and post some pics of your work as I'm sure lots of folks here would like to see them.

 

[bent-stick]

I'm just embarking on a sinew backed horn composite. The advice I have (from someone who has made loads) is don't make your glue as watery as the recipe on the packet (are you using pearl glue?) and squeeze your sinew out well.

If the glue's too watery or there's too much of it your bow will creak when you pull it up.

 

[2blackcat]

If it's anything like that Penobscot, I wouldn't mind giving it a test flight or two

Hello, BS. Nothing going on on the other site?

 

[jojo]

Thanks for the advice. Did you use 1 layer of sinews or more than that? Do u have much time to apply the sinew before the glue starts to gel? Does it long to cover a whole bow??. Both the bows I want to sinew back are about 4 1/2 feet and when I have figured out how to post photo, i'll put them on. Do you have any photo of yous to show?? that's more than one question!!!

 

[Snufkin]

It's a few years since I built my sinew backed bow so as far as I remember I did two layers of sinew. The first layer I covered the entire back of the bow to protect it but the second layer I feathered it out toward the tips and the handle as they weren't working. I applied both layers at the same time.
You have quite a long working time with sinew so you aren't forced to rush.
How many layers you use depends if you are adding it to increase draw weight or to protect the back of a short bow at long draw. If you are just protecting the back I would use one layer and glue it up in forced reflex of an inch or two. The sinew will shrink and increase this reflex but you'll loose quite alot, if not all when you draw it.
Once I'd sinewed mine I let the glue gel a little and then wrapped the bow in crepe bandages to stop the sinew lifting off. I left it in a cool room for a week and then moved it to the airing cupboard over night and stood it by the window by day.
I'll see if I can get some pics of my sinew backed bow. I sinewed that particular bow to remove some natural deflex in the stave.

 

[bent-stick]

Thanks for the advice. Did you use 1 layer of sinews or more than that? Do u have much time to apply the sinew before the glue starts to gel? Does it long to cover a whole bow??. Both the bows I want to sinew back are about 4 1/2 feet and when I have figured out how to post photo, i'll put them on. Do you have any photo of yous to show?? that's more than one question!!!

Hi JoJo, mine's just a pile of sinew and some horn bits so far. But I've only been working on it for 6 months or so

I'm documenting the process (or will when I get a chance to process anything, it's a pain having to have a proper job to feed my archery habit) I'm planning on a 3/16" layer of sinew and will probaby do it in 3 stages with a month to cure between layers. Hide glue can skin if it is too thick.

Hi 2BC fancy meeting you here I thought I'd stirred up enough trouble in the other place for now so I'm lying low for a bit.

I spent a rather fine weekend in Wayne's woods and thought I'd check out the site he advertises on the back of his teeshirt.

As to the penobscott. It's yours when I've made the new one (but be prepared to wait a year or so). After all you _can_ have enough bows - ask 'er indoors

 

[jojo]

Well, Bent Stick, I gather that the old Turkish bowyers kept their customers waiting years before they could have their bows, but as I remember reading they were under threat of death if the said bows broke, it probably was a good insentive to make sure the things were well made and take your time! I hope you have not got that hanging over your head?

 

[bent-stick]

All I get if a bow breaks is a slightly dented head.

Bleeds like ^%** though