bow strings

[ratty]

hello all

im after advice please

what would be used for a bow string on a primative bow?

does everyone use modern materials or do people make up there own string,from natural or modern materials?

any help hints pictures or advise would be very welcome

thanks

[Pat B]

Ratty, I use regular dacron string material. You can make primitive strings out of rawhide(squirrel & groundhog), gut, natural fibers(flax, dogbane, yucca, etc) and sinew. There are probably plenty others.     Pat

[Sharparrows]

I made a primitive string out of dracaena (garden plant i found) and it was a lot of fun, more fun than making bows

This year Im making another one out of flax I grew in th backyard, its not quite done retting yet but its almost there. Follow this link it helps a lot http://p081.ezboard.com/fpaleoplanet69529frm52.showMessage?topicID=11.topic

[billy]

I've made bowstrings from both sinew and dacron.  I like my primitive bows to have sinew strings, but they are time consuming to make.  I usually make a dacron string just so I can shoot the bow, then when time allows, I'll make a sinew string for it.  Sinew makes a pretty good string.  I've had a few failures with sinew, but I'm trying to work out the bugs with it as I am not a veteran at making sinew strings. 

When I make my sinew strings, I soak the sinew strands, then chew it so it's really soft.  Then I twist up the sinew into the string.  You will have to add splices almost constantly.  Then I stretch it, and while it's wet, I take a razor blade or a sharp flake of flint and cut off the splices that stick out of the string.  Then I let it dry with a weight tied to one end so it get somewhat pre-stretched.

I like chewing the sinew because it allows the sinew to glue together, making a very even and strong string.  Even still, I've had a failures with a sinew string on a particular bow, but I'm hoping to get that fixed so I can use it to hunt with.

[Hartung]

“When I make my sinew strings, I soak the sinew strands, then chew it so it's really soft.  Then I twist up the sinew into the string.  You will have to add splices almost constantly.  Then I stretch it, and while it's wet, I take a razor blade or a sharp flake of flint and cut off the splices that stick out of the string.  Then I let it dry with a weight tied to one end so it get somewhat pre-stretched.”


I also would like to make a sinew bowstring. And this is the shortest and yet the best how-to description that I’ve seen so far. You also say: “I've had a few failures with sinew, but I'm trying to work out the bugs”.

Please allow me to ask some questions:

1. Don’t the different strands dry out before you have finished the string?
2. Did you find out why some of your sinew had failed?
3. When you twist up your sinew, do you do a reverse wrapped twist?
4.  If so, of how many reverse wrapped strands is your string composed of?

Thanks for your help!