Sinewing a longer bow

[Kegan]

If a bow is about 68" long, but you stop about 4" from each nock, you would be sinewing about 60". If the tips are stiff, would this work?

[Hillbilly]

I've seen 'em done like that. Just wrap the ends of the sinew.

[adb]

Kinda defeats the purpose of using sinew, yes? Meaning a shorter bow.

[FVR]

I've found that sinewing a bow longer than 60 inches, not only are you using alot of sinew, the outcome is not what you expect.  BUTTTTTTTT........................

Hey, give it a try and let us know.  If you can, shoot the bow before you sinew it, then do the sinew like you want and then let us know the diff. results.  Is the mass on the limbs worth the work or would slightly bending the limb tips have worked better.


Good Luck,

Frank

[radius]

yeah, man, get some results before sinewing it.  But adb is probly right:  isn't sinew used esp. on crap wood or else on shorter bows?

[Kegan]

Thanks guys . I have one bow I'll be able to get rough ideas of how it works from in the works now- a 65" flatbow pulling (before sinewing) about 80# @ 29". It shot pretty well, but I was sort of worried about the inner limbs holding up to the stress and the bow taking too much string follow. At the moment it's dried into 2" of reflex. The sinew is about 54" long and in a rather thin layer. Before it was sinewed it was a pretty fair shooter. We'll see how it works afterwards (next week).

If this works, I'll try another one I have drying right now only a little longer (68"). Right now I'm just trying to use the sinew to help keep the set on the inner limbs low while the bow pulls a higher weight at a longer draw.

[FVR]

Ya'll are killing me, sinew on crap wood...............Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh..........................I'm not going to waste my time pulling sinew and then sinewing a bow on scrap stave.  Just too much work.

65" long flatbow that has taken a little set.  LOL.........with 80lbs, bringing that string a little further back would be just fine with me.

Post some pics.

[Adam Keiper]

I sinewed an osage bow once that about that long.  The back was riddled with fine checks, and without any rawhide at hand, I decided to sinew back it with one course for insurance.  I didn't think it would do much for performance, but it actually pulled the bow into some nice reflex and added some zip.

[Traxx]

Ive known a few who did just as you asked.They turned outfine and shot well too.I really dont see the point in laying sinew down on a limb section,that doesnt bend.

[AKAPK]

I did that sinew on a 68 but laid the sinew 4 inches from the tips and still got lots of hand shock that why I like short bows 50" and shorter for sinew. Hope that works out for ya I think if the tips are really narrow there will be less Hand shock and head rattle.

[Hillbilly]

I'm like FVR-I'm not gonna waste a bunch of time, work, and sinew on a bad pice of wood. If I make a sinew-backed bow, it's usually designed that way to begin with a good stave, or like Adam said, to fix some minor flaws in an otherwise good stave. I think you'll be fine with it.

[Kegan]

Thanks everyone . I've just been trying to get the most from the white woods we have aorund here, and even with tempering and what not I still find that sometimes I mess up and overstrain the limbs on white oak or hickory bows. 80# at 29" is alot to ask .