sinew questions

[jasper]

Do I need to clean the sinew after its processed?  If so What do I clean it with or soak it in?  Second I have read that the back of the bow needs prep'd.  What steps need done and what order.  Acetone I have read is used to degrease the back of the bow but what else can be used found around the house.  Rubbing alcohol, common cleaning agents or detergents  Etc...  Any details would be appreciated.  Thanks

[Hillbilly]

Unless you've got some kind of greasy sinew like cow, pig, or something, it shouldn't need cleaning. Soaking it in warm water makes it a bit more manageable. I usually scratch the back of the bow up with a hacksaw blade, then degrease it. Acetone works, but it's pretty nasty stuff. I've used red devil lye a couple times, but I think it's been taken off the market. Dawn dishwashing soap or oven cleaner will probably work. Some woods don't need much degreasing, oily ones like osage and locust take a bit more work. If you use water to rinse, make it scalding hot. Then size the back of the bow with a good coat of hide glue before you start putting the sinew down.

[Eric Garza]

I use lots of sinew so thought I'd offer some thoughts.  As for cleaning the sinew, I'd agree with hillbilly in that once it's processed (all meat, fat and membrane has been scraped off, and it appears a clean white or, at worst, a very translucent beige) there is no further cleaning necessary.  I wouldn't even bother with the sinew of a domestic animal, as they're too fatty.

As for preparing the back of the bow, I usually just wash several times with dishwashing detergent and water as hot as you can stand.  The hot water itself helps take the oils into solution and drag them out of the wood.  I always add a layer of hide glue before laying sinew, but I've heard others say this isn't needed.  I never score the bow's back, leaving it smooth, which again seems at odds with what many folks do.  I've never had a problem with sinew pulling free either, though, leading me to believe that scoring isn't necessary as long as the bow's back was adequately degreased.

All the best,

-Eric

[jasper]

When you add the layer of hide glue to the back prior to the sinew, Do you let it dry completely and then add the sinew or while thew glue is still wet?

[tom sawyer]

Putting a layer of hide glue on the back is called sizing.  I do it just before applying my sinew, I let it gel (which it does very quickly) but not dry down completely.  I do score my surface, I've had a couple of times where sinew pulled off and the surface beneath looked very shiny.  I don't do much in the way of degreasing, but I do score and then apply the sinew right away.

I also had some emu sinew once that was sort fo greasy feeling, I soaked it in acetone to remove the oils.  This worked well enough, I don't know that it was necessary though.

Lots of ways to skin a cat.

[YewArcher]

I have stopped "de-greasing" the backs of my bows. I have had several bows sinew lift after degreasing with lye and iother things like acetone. I have since (On the suggestion by Gary Davis master of sinewing bows) only sanded the bows back right befire sinewing.

I score it with a hack saw blade, Lightly sand with 60 grit sand paper, wipe off with a clean cloth to get the dust out, size the bow with a nice warm coat of hide glue.

Since uing this method I have not had 1 lift up.

SJM