how do i make a bow string out of sinew?

[Tristen]

i have not messed around with sinew before how do i cut it from the deer? is deer the only animal that i can get sinew from? how do i dry it?

                                                                                   thanks Tristen

[billy]

Tristen,

You can cut the sinew out of the lower legs of a deer, both front and back legs.  Also, you can get large sheets of sinew from the backstrap (located on either side of the spine).  The leg sinew looks like silvery cords....you cut them out, then just hang them somewhere and let them dry.  Also, keep an eye out over the next few months for my article "How to remove sinew from a deer".  IT will be coming out in Primitive Archer and I think that should be much easier to follow because it has pictures showing how sinew removal is done. 

[huntertrapper]

sinew would work from any animal but deer and other type of deer are best sinew probably...and i scrape the sinew and dry it out then split it to the thickness i want it.

[Tristen]

Would I have to braid the sinew together to make it stronger or just keep it the way it is?

                                                                  thanks Tristen

[billy]

You use a reverse wrap method, similar to how ropes are made.  IT's hard to describe in words; I would suggest looking for it on youtube (search "making cordage" or two-ply reverse wrap") That should give you some hits.  You can braid it, though I've never done it that way.  Most of the original indian bows I;ve seen in museums had 2-ply reverse wrap sinew strings.

[smokeu]

Go to your library and check out Jimm Hamm's book ---------Bows and Arrows of the native Americans----------this answered most of my early questions. Strings bow wood and the like... It was his first book and really good to start with it will help you a ton.