Sinew question

[chasonhayes]

I harvested the tendons from a deer but looks like I'm going to need 5-6 more deer to get enough sinew to back a bow. It no longer being deer season tendons are hard to come by except for the occasional road kill. Planning for next season how many deer should i harvest tendon from to back 3-4 bows? Also can anyone comment on the performance of the artificial sinew compared to the natural? In case I want to go that route.

[aznboi3644]

I would focus on learned how to properly design and tiller a bow before getting into sinew backing.  In the mean time keep saving up tendons. I buy tendons from time to time off Etsy for decent prices for raw unprocessed leg tendons

[bownarra]

Don't forget the backstrap!
Just keep collecting - you can't have too many!
Artifical sinew is no good at all for backing a bow.

[Eric Krewson]

First off artificial sinew is nothing compared to the real stuff, just spun dacron threads made up to look like sinew.

Once you process the sinew you have collected you will be surprised at just much you have.

If you want a bunch of sinew go to a place they process deer and ask for the legs, I did that once, I told them I just wanted the tendons, they directed me to the barrel they threw them in. I stood there for a while stripping tendons out of legs and throwing the stripped legs back in the barrel, I ended up with a lifetime supply. I got away from sinewing bows and ended up sending all my sinew to people here and on other bow sites that wanted some.

[Eric Garza]

I second the above comment about learning to make a good unbacked bow before you invest time learning to back with sinew, or other things. I started by backing most of my bows, and looking back I believe that decision really handicapped my learning. If I had it to do over again I would focus on making unbacked board bows until I could reliably turn out a solid shooter, then I would start playing with staves and backings and such. When folks come to me asking for mentoring in bowyery, this is the track I put them on.

That said, I have a bunch of whitetail back sinew and would be happy to trade some if you want to augment your stash. I have a great relationship with a local game processor who saves the back tendons from the deer he butchers for me. I do a very good job cleaning the meat, fat, and membrane off it, so it is good clean stuff that bonds to wood very well.

[Nasr]

I wouldnt bother with sinew just yet. Like the comments above focus on developing your tillering skills then move on to harder things. Sinew should be used to make bows better and not to help hold a bow together because of tillering issues. But what you can do is grow your stash in the meantime until you’re at that point. With that being said I did the same thing starting out. I think my third or fourth bow was a sinew backed bow. Complete waste of time and money.

[WhistlingBadger]

I agree with the above:  Don't back a bow with artificial sinew, and don't bother with sinew at all until you've done a few the easy way.  I've done four successful bows (and broken a couple) and I am just now starting to work on a sinew backed bow.  I wouldn't bother with it at all, honestly, except the only local bow woods around here need to be backed.

My advice is, build a few hickory self-bows, and keep collecting sinew.  By the time you have your head around the basics, you'll either have enough sinew to back a bow, or you'll have realized that self-bows are a lot less work.   

[gutpile]

you can get leg tendons from road kill.. even old tendons are fine.. gut