Linen Bow String??

[Longcruise]

Probably have too much time on my hands with all this cold weather, but....

I was working on a leather project and I have about 20 yards of waxed linen thread left on a spool and I'm wondering if anyone here has ever made a bowstring from linen thread?  It might be fun to try but I don't know how many strands should be used etc.

The thread is about .023 in diameter.  Any suggestions or thoughts on this?

[Flem]

Tim Baker talks about linen thread strings in one of the first two Bowyer's Bibles.

[Longcruise]

That was a good link.  I ordered a pound from Pyro supply.   It  can  always be used in leather projects.  Bow strings won't be a major use.  Just a distraction for variety.

[Stagmitis]

I have made several linen strings and still a large spool of the material.. Its lighter and faster than b-50 and almost as fast as the HPerf.. stuff. 

[Flem]

Pyro supply!! Thats an odd place to source linen string. How did you come upon them?

[Longcruise]

There was a link in a previous post the PA site where Marc St Louis referenced the Pyro supplies as a source.   I have no idea what fireworks makers use it for but they sell a variety of it. 

I'll play with it a bit.  Doubt if it will replace B50 in my box but never say never, eh?

[rainman]

Good linen can be as strong as 50lbd s strand, and it doesn't stretch.  But good linen string is hard to find anymore.  Pyro supply is probably best.

[Flem]

There was a link in a previous post the PA site where Marc St Louis referenced the Pyro supplies as a source.   I have no idea what fireworks makers use it for but they sell a variety of it. 

I'll play with it a bit.  Doubt if it will replace B50 in my box but never say never, eh?

Its used for making shells/casings for certain types of fireworks.

I'm always amazed you can still buy "pyrotechnics" after 9/11. Hell you could still buy ammonium nitrate after Oklahoma City!!! Anybody with a credit card or PayPal can buy the supplies to make some serious "Fireworks"

[rainman]

You can also try Campbell and Randell leather manufacturing.   It is Hungarian made string.

[onetone]

I have used linen thread to make a string for a steel prod on a crossbow. It worked fine and linen used to be the material used for all crossbows - back in the era when the bowman used a windlass to cock the bow because the draw weight was so great. Linen was also used on the heavy weight English long bows. Important to keep it dry though and wax (or tallow) was used to that end in the days of yore. I agree linen bow strings don’t stretch.