My own artificial sinew

[R.C.Reichert]

I have my own take on the artificial sinew idea. I use fine hemp or jute cord, then I rub into the fibers some waterproof white glue (Weld Bond works good) and stitch or bind together my pieces with that before it dries. It dries really hard and durable and holds itself together just like real sinew. It even looks more like real sinew than the artificial stuff. You don't even need to tie it because the glue holds it all together and when it's dry it doesn't lend itself to fraying apart like the waxed kind does. There are probably some other natural cords that would work well for this too. Just thought I'd share this idea with you guys. There are so many neat little things that can be done with just a little creativity. Anyways, thanks for looking.

One other thing that I've discovered, is that if you take the waxed type artificial sinew and with hot water wash out the wax, you can use the glue to bind it instead and it holds a lot nicer.

 

[J.S. Carter]

never thought of making my own... thanx for the idea buddy! so will that cheap twine work ok?

 

[Bailey Knives]

how do you keep the glue from getting all over your sheath? I would probably make a real mess of that.

 

[R.C.Reichert]

never thought of making my own... thanx for the idea buddy! so will that cheap twine work ok?

The cheap stuff works alright, but if you get the good quality crafting stuff it works really well. I made a Native American peace pipe, a shaman's rattle, and a jade head tomahawk and bound them using this method. It actually has a really nice look to it. People always ask me "How did you do that?" "Is that real sinew?" Sometimes it's hard to tell. It's less work than preparing actual sinew or intestines for the purpose. I tested it out strength-wise, it is actually a lot stronger than "cat-gut" and waterproof when it's dry.

 

[R.C.Reichert]

how do you keep the glue from getting all over your sheath? I would probably make a real mess of that.

It can be a bit tricky, but once it is bound together, it is easy enough to wipe off any excess glue from the leather using a moistened rag before it dries completely. Just don't go overboard with the glue.You want enough glue so it's just sticky and tacky like real sinew. You can always add a little more glue or wet it a bit to smooth it out. You can also use colored threads because the glue dries transparent. I find that the waxed type artificial sinew frays quite easily, not a problem using the glue method I mentioned.

I personally find that thin jute cord works the best. Jute has a nice "sinewy" color and texture to it. Take the fibers and spread them out in your fingers a bit when wrapping with the glue. This will help them to lay down more evenly. When finished wrapping, you can put another thin coat of the glue on to help hold things together better. This might not work for all projects, but on some "rustic" pieces, it adds a really nice touch. It looks a lot like "cat-gut" sinew when it's done. That is sinew made from the intestinal lining of animals such as a deer or moose.