Sinew thread

[Dustinhill]

Hi, I'm in the process of making viburnum arrows right now. After some trial and error, I found that I prefer to wrap the fletchings with thread because they stay on better. I haven't been able to find any nettles or cattails to make thread so I made some 2ply sinew thread from scraps I had. Will this work if I was going to make an otzi style arrow (glued and wrapped fletchings)? I'm thinking of using pine pitch but am worried that my thread will get messed up from the heat.  Do I need to seal it?
Any help is very much appreciated.
Thanks,
Dustin

[Springbuck]

Milkweed?  Sinew thread will do, ith, though.  It's just harder to make skinny, pretty sinew thread and often works just as well to use strands, if you can pull them off long enough.

[Dustinhill]

Thanka! I'll check out milkweed and see if I can find any. I have a few more questions, How would you seal the thread so it doesn't come apart if it gets wet? And will it fall apart in the heat from the glue?

[bowandarrow473]

Try sealing it with hide glue, the stuff will still soften when wetted but not as fast as sinew, pine pitch varnish also works well and it totally waterproof. Why don't you make some hide glue and glue your fletching down with that, or are you committed to wrapping the feathers? Also, if you are not holding an open flame to the glue and it's not near the combustion point then your thread should be fine.

[Dustinhill]

Im not set on wrappng. Is it possible that because I soaked but didn't chew my sinew, on previous arrows the fletchings moved and got bunched up even though the sinew was hard? That's why I want to wrap.

[bowandarrow473]

If your fletching moved around after wrapping, im assuming it moved under the sinew around the shaft, it means you didnt wrap the sinew tight enough. Wrap it as tight as you can and then once dry, add hide glue, the hide glue isnt neccesary, but it shrinks the wrapping more, making it even tighter.

[nclonghunter]

Otzis' knife sheath was made from basswood inner bark. I would suspect that Otzis' arrow would have also been wrapped with it. The fibers can be long. Another natural cordage that can produce some long strong threads is dogbane, if you can find any of that. I also want to build some Otzi arrows. Made a replica knife and sheath. He is a fascinating study to me.

[bowandarrow473]

Another great source of cordage is stinging nettles, if you can bear to hold them

[Dustinhill]

Thanks for all the great replies! I'm going to do a few experiments this week with fletching, (thread from hair, sinew thread and just sinew) I'll post my results and some pictures.
Thanks,
Dustin

[Pat B]

I use sinew to wrap forward and aft on the fletching but don't spiral wrap down the feathers. I use a single strand of sinew, chew it until it is soft and pliable then wrap. The sinew and saliva makes its own glue. Once the sinew wrap dries I add pitch varnish to the wraps to seal.

[Dustinhill]

Thanks for all the replies, i've been experimenting over the past few months in between work and school and have came to some conclusions that affirm many of the things you guys have been saying. As soon as I can figure out how to post pictures ill put up my findings and my arrows.
Thanks,
Dustin