Sinew/hide glue question

[twitchstick]

How much of the sinew do you save and what's best for making hide glue. I have been able to save the sinew off of 4 1/2 deer. I have saved the sinew off the backstraps,achilles and the front legs. I am down to my last deer to butcher this year and it is mine. My question is how much should I save other than the main sinew pieces? What should I be saving for hide glue or is it easier to just buy?

[KellyG]

TBB volume 1 states that hide scrapings pulverized, make the best glue.

[John Scifres]

I use Knox gelatin from the grocery store.  It is just ultra refined "hide glue".

You can boil just about any animal part and get glue from it.  As stated above, hides make the best hide glue.

[scrub-buster]

I use knox gelatin also.  Its cheap and easy.  Open packet, dump in water, stir, heat in microwave, use.

NOTE:  if you tell your family what jello is made out of, they will never eat it again.

[hova]

you guys getting the knox to pull a reflex into your bows?


-hov

[Pat B]

Hova, it's not the glue but the sinew that draws the bow into reflex as it dries and shrinks. Knox is refined hide glue. I have had mixed results with Knox but that could be me.

[John Scifres]

When I worked for a University as their hazawaste coordinator.  We would do lab cleanouts and I would take the lab grade gelatin.  It's used for DNA testing among other things.  Talk about awesome holding power!  I still have some I think but I haven't done a sinew backed bow with hide glue for a while.  Might have to look in the shop and offer it up to you guys     I use TB3 now.

[Keenan]

I use the casings and scraps for my glue. While preparing the sinew all the real short pieces and casings just go in a pile, then I throw them in the crock pot (large hand full) then fill the crock pot half full of water cover and turn on befor bed. In morning I have glue, Just strain off the remains. Freeze what I don't use, reheat to reuse. be sure to let the sinew soak enough to become limp like wet hair, when applying.

[scrub-buster]

Twitchstick, I have a lot of small scraps of shredded sinew.  If you want it for glue, PM me your address and I will send it to you.

[hova]

i thought the hide glue contracted as i dried. i know the sinew would when going from wet to dry , but i always figured it was the glue they soaked up drying and contracting it all...


sorta makes sense now...so all ya need is sinew and knox... how much do you get out of one box or how many on a whole bow?

[Pat B]

The glue does contract when it dries. They say you can put a drop of hide glue on a piece of glass and when it dries it will pull up a cone of glass.
  I guess the combo of the two is what pulls the bow into reflex.

[hova]

:wink: wasnnt sure if i read it or just inferred it.


i was reading the other day and someone was saying that rabbit skin glue is better than hide glue...

which led me to wonder if frog sinew wouldnt be better...i know frogs use fast twitch muscles to jump , but the sinew might be some great stuff...


-hov

[Pat B]

When you gather enough frog leg sinew to do a bow, call me! d;^)
  Fish bladder glue is even better. All animal protine glues are pretty strong! I think you can get rabbit hide glue from art supply stores or on-line catalogs. If is used for coating canvas for oil painting. Fine woodworking catalogs sell hide glue also.

[twitchstick]

Wow thanks for the info. I take it that knox and TB3 will work great. Gelatin looks like the easiest way. Thanks agian.

[Pat B]

Both Knox and TBIII will work but they each work differently. The Knox works in conjunction with the sinew to add zip and durability to a short bow and the TBIII holds the sinew to the bow without the full potential of the elasticity of the sinew. At least that is my understanding.
  I have only used TBIII on one sinewed bow and it was only the last(top) of three layers(other 2 were hide glue); primarily to even out the top surface of the sinew and to add weatherproofing protection.

[hova]

i was watching some sinew vids last night , and i think some of the reason people dont get the reflex to pull hard is they pre-soak in water. i know its all water based , and thinned , but it seems to me if you soak in hide glue to rehydrate , youre going to get the glue to soak in deeper.

i cant wait to get some sinew.


and ill let you know in 4 years when i get enough frog sinew...lol...

on a side note , my ol man just had a llama die a couple weeks ago. i wish i would have thought to have him save me the hide and tendons...


-hov

[red hill]

Hov, I suppose that would be one way to preserve the memory of a beloved pet, huh?
Stan