Primitive coating for sinew backed bows?

[High-Desert]

I’ve been working on a northwest native style sinew backed bow, and keeping everything as primitive as I can. I have been looking for a primitive coating for sinew backed bows, and was curious what you guys have used over sinew. Does bear grease work over sinew, or bees wax.

[Pat B]

I don't know how well bear grease alone would work over sinew backing. I use pitch varnish over sinew wraps. Not exactly primitive because of the alcohol but it's as close as I can figure. My pitch varnish is just hard, brittle pitch dissolved in denatured alcohol and strained. For true varnish I think some sort of oil is added to that mixture to make it somewhat flexible but I don't have a ratio.
 You might melt bees wax, pitch and bear fat into a paste and rub that on but I've only used that for leather.
 I know bear fat is very water repellent. A friend was rendering some bear fat on his back deck when he nocked it over. Even years later any rain or water that fell on that spot beaded up and ran off.

[Jakesnyder]

I know halfeye would make a mixture of grease,pitch, a little charcoal. He would make the mixture to where it would bearly harden under normal outside conditions. He would coat his sinew backed bows and sinew strings with the same coating. Just my 2 cents.

[wstanley]

If it grows in your region - soaproot. Steam the root bulb until it is soft. Mush into a past and apply. Used as glue and backing bows for central CA natives.

[JW_Halverson]

People in the west often used the juice from crushed prickly pear cactus as a waterproofing on parfleches. Run a mess of leaves through a food processor and press the juice out, paint it on full strength and let dry.

[High-Desert]

Awesome! Thanks everyone, I will do some experimenting with all those, assuming I can come across all the material. Appreciate the help.

[Pat B]

I think that James Parker used prickly pear juice as a carrier for some paint pigments and maybe as a sealer on his Asiatic horn bows.

[bownarra]

Birch bark

[gutpile]

I just use a snakeskin to waterproof my sinew bows.. still primitive... if you don't like skins and want to show off the muscle.. animal grease and pine pitch make a great sealant.. gut

[WhistlingBadger]

Good info, guys.  I was always kind of worried that bear grease (or similar) would weaken the hide glue somehow.  Not the case?

[Pat B]

That is my concern too, WB.

[High-Desert]

I read that  about the possibility that the fats could cause an issue with sinew bow, but I have never seen anyone say for sure.
I do like using snake skins but I have a paint job on the back. I think I’ll do an experiment with pine pitch on a scrap piece of wood.

[WhistlingBadger]

I use pine/fir pitch on my arrows.  I just add powdered, dry pitch to the alcohol dye when I mix it up, then dip the shafts.  I'm not sure how effective it is at waterproofing, and I suspect it wears off pretty fast, but it doesn't hurt anything.  Sure makes them smell nice!

[gutpile]

I got to thinking and animal grease may NOT be suitable on sinew.. well sinew is fine, but if hide glue was used, probably can loosen hide glue up.. i just skin my sinew jobs but I do have a naked sinew bow.. but it doesnt go outside but on nice days for target shooting.. .. gut..

[Pat B]

If you use pitch put in a little bees wax so it won't be as brittle. It may crack otherwise when it bends.