I'm happy to offer top quality Scottish Red Deer leg sinew - the proper stuff! This sale is of one sinew only. I'm offering them as singles as I know some of my customers have only wanted a couple rather than a set of four.
This sinew is air dried, fresh and good quality. There is some variation but this Large sinew average size is 8 to 10 inches long and will come from the larger stags.
This sinew can be pounded, the outer sheath removed and the individual fibres teased out. Those sinew fibres can then be soaked in hide glue and applied to a bow as a performance improving natural backing. As it dries it shrinks creating tension or tightening if used as a wrapping. Alternatively the fibres can be twisted together to make sinew cordage, used in arrow making and for many other primitive crafts.
It's very difficult to say how many sinews you might need to back your bow. A great deal depends on how long your bow is, how wide the limbs are, how thickly you apply the sinew, how many layers you put on. As a rough guide you will probably need a minimum of 8 sinews to provide a thin protective backing for your wooden selfbow your bow, 16 to 24 to give a thicker performance and reflex boosting backing and perhaps 32 sinews for a horn bow.
Sinew scraps can also be used to make sinew glue by gentle heating in water until they dissolve - essentially sinew soup!
Postage can sometimes be expensive as our UK postal system is obsessed about things being flat! I've based my UK P&P charges on your sinew being difficult and not fitting within the large letter thickness.
A little advice about using this sinew with my hide glue. Keep the sinew in a dry well aired space. Keep it away from pets as they generally think it is delicious, especially after you have put in all that hard work to separate out the fibres. Pound the sinew with a smooth stone or wooden mallet with rounded edges (Thor Hardwood Mallet is my favourite) against a suitable surface. The end of a clean log or piece of thick plywood works well. Pound until the outer sheath comes away. Discard this sheath, or use it to make glue or feed to your dog as a treat. Separate out the fibres. This takes time, patience and toughens up your fingers! I use an awl to separate out fibres and generally just untangle them by hand to get the longest and most sinew strands possible. A steel comb can be used but though quicker breaks and wastes a lot more sinew. When you have a nice big lot of fine fluffy fibres sort into into bunches that are the same length. Soak a bundle in the glue for a short while until it is well soaked, run betwen your fingers to remove excess glue and smooth onto your bow. The rest of your sinew and possibly your dog will now stick to you and not the bow. Wash your hands and repeat!
Please note that I accept payment via Paypal only.