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Author Topic: preparing bow back for sinew  (Read 1781 times)

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Offline luke the drifter

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preparing bow back for sinew
« on: February 12, 2012, 11:02:52 pm »
this has probably been talked about by other members of this community.  would regular soap and water sufficiently degrease the back of a bow or do i need to use something like acetone?
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Offline Carson (CMB)

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Re: preparing bow back for sinew
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2012, 11:35:07 pm »
Personally, I prefer denatured alcohol over acetone for all degreasing purposes in the garage, including prepping bow backs for sinew. Pat B has a good buildalong of his sinew-backed yew bow.  I think he used boiling water.  Don't forget to roughen up the surface of the wood prior to degreasing.
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"The bow is the old first lyre,
the mono chord, the initial rune of fine art
The humanities grew out from archery as a flower from a seed
No sooner did the soft, sweet note of the bow-string charm the ear of genius than music was born, and from music came poetry and painting and..." Maurice Thompso

Offline Pat B

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Re: preparing bow back for sinew
« Reply #2 on: February 13, 2012, 01:53:35 am »
I roughed up the back of my bow with a toothing plane blade but you can use a hacksaw blade turned sideways and dragged across the surface of the back like you use a scraper. Then I lightly sanded the back to remove any left over scrapings. While rehydrating the sinew I wet the bows back with warm water then washed it well with Dawn dish soap(original Dawn is the best grease cutter) and rinsed it with boiling water(watch your fingers,don't ask!  ::) ) I then blotted the excess water off of the bow and set it up to begin sinewing.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline paulsemp

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Re: preparing bow back for sinew
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2012, 06:50:06 am »
I always use acetone and never had a problem. I like Pat's way of washing the back of the bow to clean and get the wood to pucker up  for hide glue.
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Offline luke the drifter

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Re: preparing bow back for sinew
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2012, 02:24:35 pm »
hey pat,

i like your idea more because of not having to use harsh chemical like denatured alcohol or acetone.  after you blot the excess water off, do you apply a layer of hide glue as a base for the sinew?  the reason i ask is will the back still be wet and would that affect adhesion of the hide glue and sinew?  Would that even matter?

luke
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