How to Make the Best Sinew Bow String

The Secrets & Science of Primitive Archery book can be ordered at this link.
gillsprimitivearchery.com/pro...
Ryan Gill builds a sinew bowstring while explaining the process and giving major detailed information on the making and use of other primitive strings as well. Ryan uses these strings to hunt everything from bunnies to bison in many of his primitive hunting videos.

[@Harpo77]

I got a feeling ever little bit of knowledge will be handy at some point.

[@cienciakid9921]

This video was so good that I didn't even notice that basically one hour passed

[@aussiefulla7061]

I'm planning on making a kangaroo sinew bow string, I reckon it would be bloody strong cause all they do is spring around everywhere

[@huntprimitive9918]

yeah that sounds super cool. tag me or contact me when you do, I would love too see a roo sinew string

[@jamestompkins7928]

If it's legal in your state try wombat rawhide to make a bowstring from. I make my bowstring here in Texas from fox squirrel rawhide and it's tough, long lasting and so much easier to make than sinew.My people the Cherokee nation have used them for thousands of years.

[@aussiefulla7061]

@@jamestompkins7928 I dunno if I could bring myself to take down a wombat lol they are such funny little things, everyone I've seen has had their own little quirky personality ha ha

[@NOTMYCIRCUSNOTMYMONKEY]

❤😂 Thanks for the knowledge sharing 🙏

[@Yepers.]

Cause its below 8 "​@NOTMYCIRCUSNOTMYMONKEY

[@thomasanderson3785]

Good stuff!❤

[@Areallthesetaken]

I'm so glad I found your channel, these are the skills that got humanity to this point and they can't be lost. Great work

[@osbaldohernandez9174]

Finally someone goes into detail for this been looking all over thank you sir

[@EccentricArtisan]

This was such a detailed and informative build video! I feel very well prepared to make a sinew string now. Thank you for sharing all the steps with such clarity Ryan.

[@huntprimitive9918]

excellent, very glad to hear that. Thank you much for the kind words

[@EccentricArtisan]

@@huntprimitive9918 I think my favorite part of your book, that works really well with your video on the subject, is how the construction of arrows, especially the points used, is so very different from modern equipment and it’s application. I’ve had a hard time convincing people of the argument for small stone points, but with an abundance of actual practical data from an experienced builder and hunter it’s an easier point to get across. The book is spectacular.

[@huntprimitive9918]

@@EccentricArtisan thank you, I really appreciate that. It's definitely tough to get folks to not look at it in the same terms as modern archery. It really is incredibly different

[@dariuswhite3002]

​@@huntprimitive9918I think ur sinew string didn't out perform the other material because of humidity

[@user-gy9xn7sv4v]

​@@huntprimitive9918is the membrane on ribs the same as sinew and can it be used for that😊

[@ryansoutdoorschannel3428]

I’ve seen a lot of historical photos of natives with bows an I’ve always noticed the strings were super thick compared to modern times , that right there tells you it worked just fine

[@mildmanneredmercifulmouse1839]

I learned a LOT, thank you Ryan.

[@ignaz3254]

That was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you.

[@TheJbrantl]

Sad about how excited I got at three intro off this video haha, thanks for sharing

[@garyhoch6506]

Love your videos. So mush more in depth than anything else out there! Also just more watchable.

[@normanphair8488]

Nice, great job , very informative I can make a Flemish string

[@hu4ngming]

Just saw that u sold sinews on ur website. Awesome!

[@lymanclark5537]

Great info and explained well, Thank you!

[@huntprimitive9918]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Red_River_Primitive]

I just want to thank you for what you! I had got to the point of making my own bows and equipment years ago. I had really just hit the point were I had switched over from metal to stone points killing a few few hogs with them on stalks. A bad divorce turned my life upside down around twelve years ago and my bow got laid to the side. Watching your videos has inspired me to pull out my old hickory bow and limber it back up. Thank you for rekindling my old primitive fire! God bless!

[@HaggardOutdoors]

Very informative video, I've learned so much from you in the last 2 to 3 years, I've learned to flintknapp, make knives arrowheads, atlatl, bows, hunting, skinning and tanning hides. Your a master, now I just gotta get some sinew to make a string for my bow. Keep up the great work, I'm def gonna have to get your book.

[@huntprimitive9918]

awesome thats great to hear. That's what it's all about. thank you very much and best of luck on your primitive adventures.

[@HaggardOutdoors]

@@huntprimitive9918 sure will look forward to learning as much as I can

[@plan.b.erlebnis]

Awesome as always !

[@huntprimitive9918]

thank you very much

[@CrossRootedForge]

Yes! I have been waiting for this!!!!

[@huntprimitive9918]

great to hear thanks

[@CrossRootedForge]

@@huntprimitive9918 once again thank you for this video. I was having problem because I was trying to stretch too much too fast with a ratchet strap. Question, will soaking string in hide glue before stretching have any benefit effect or negative to your knowledge?

[@thefeatheredfrontiersman8135]

The one sizeable sinew string I've made came from 8 Canadian geese, several ducks and a couple pheasant. It took a long time to make. Dipped in beef hide glue. I never tried to string a bow with it but rather wrapped a copper dream catcher with it.

[@huntprimitive9918]

sounds pretty cool though. Did you just take it from the legs? or somewhere else also?

[@kerryirwin5581]

Amazing

[@janrobertbos]

AWESOME.........as always!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Greetz from the Netherlands!!!

[@huntprimitive9918]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@TechArtAlex]

I'd be willing to bet that the plant fiber strings would survive much longer if you used servings - Winding a thin cord of sinew around the bow string at the abrasion points at the loops and nocking point as reinforcement. I'm sure it'd still be worse than a full sinew bowstring, but it might bridge the gap enough to justify it's use.

[@linechaay6430]

hey Ryan! I've been working on making my first bow for months now and I'm getting close, all stone tools, all stone age string , I experimented with a human hair string but finally found some yucca!

[@huntprimitive9918]

awesome. best of luck on your builds!

[@seanbyham7838]

Have you had the opportunity to use hemp? That is not contextual in most places, but it seems to be the ideal natural material bowstring. Also, would dogbane be similar to hemp? How did your dogbane string tests go? Similar to nettle that you used?

[@troyjohnson2395]

I am more here to learn bout the creation of primitive tools as I am a world builder, n I wanna make the archeological history of my species that I am making, which heavily shapes their modern cultures.

[@glennsmith2182]

Watched the whole video.. Excellent. I will however stick to my timber hitch rather than Bowline knot as the tie off knot easier to tie, retie, release, less mass at the limb tip and retains 10% more of the line strength.

[@terryqueen3233]

When I first saw your video on fiber rope making I couldn't tell you how many times that I watched it just to get down pat what to do and how to do it. As I don't shoot bows and I don't have that much access to Deer sinew I just stick with making ropes. I've tried all the types of fiber but it seems that the Yucca leaves are best for me. I live in the mountains of West Virginia and sometimes it's a little hard to find but they do grow up here and searching hard enough I find them. So thanks again for this video it has helped me in my rope making also and if I ever get enough sinew I will try to make a bowstring just to see if I can. I have a question you probably have already tried this or maybe it's just not feasible but have you ever tried artificial sinew? Have a great day and stay safe and keep your powder dry and your bowstring tight!

[@huntprimitive9918]

Thanks terry. I really like yucca for rope making. It is certainly hard to beat. I use artifical sinew often with other crafts. It sure twists up nice and easy. Makes a clean looking bundle. Way too much stretch for a bow string though

[@one_field]

Fantastic tutorial and it definitely helps give a deeper understanding of the chapter in your book on natural bowstring materials. Question: is there any evidence of primitive cultures doing a finished loop on BOTH ends of the bowstring? I can certainly see why bast fiber strings would cut/break at a knot (no plant fiber really responds well to a knot, especially if the string is going to flex often). It seems like it would be feasible to finish the bowstring, figure out the length needed, and then add extra twist, bend the string to form a second loop, untwist the section just below the loop, splice back in and let the twist travel back into those fibers. Then there's no knot. If the first loop hasn't been breaking, hopefully the second loop wouldn't be vulnerable either. At least, in theory, it seems like that would improve the longevity of a plant fiber bowstring... but if no primitive cultures do that, they probably have a good reason. Just curious if you've ever tried/tested a knot-free bowstring? If so, is it stronger than a knotted line?

[@christopherfisher128]

More great info. I was always under the impression that it was the mass of the string, more than the stretch, that caused sinew strings to be a bit slower. But I was also seeing them compared to flax strings, which are all I personally have real experience with. I have used flax strings that lasted for several seasons if made correctly. ( Lol, NOT by me. I am NOT talented, or patient enough, to make one)

[@huntprimitive9918]

It still might be to some degree. My buddy Joe is doing some mass experiments right now and seeing some differences. I think it is something I am going to revisit and potential revise in the next edition of the book. The first tests just all yielded the same results overall which really surprised me. But still, at the end of the day, I still really like an 1/8" sinew string and really don't mind 3/16 on heavier bows.

[@christopherfisher128]

@@huntprimitive9918 Sinew will always have a place and personal preference is King at the end of the day. I love the fact that you are doing it completely in context. I personally think it's past time for us to regain some long lost resilience for humanity. Modernity is a cult ;)

[@ericmartine902]

entertain educate and inspire!? thems be fighting words!

[@cornholio1612]

Ryan, have you ever done an episode where you collect backstrap sinews from game with only stone tools? Very curious how the process works. So much easier to use a long thin knife, and even then I'll often have some cleanup to do, removing scraps of meat and all.

[@huntprimitive9918]

Yeah, I actually did the sinew from my last bison all with stone tools. I have the video but haven't published it yet. Maybe I will try to get that video out soon

[@Soviless99]

such an inspiration! i made a bowstring out of deer leg tendon. it came out quite a bit thinner than i was hoping. sinew is probably my favorite primitive material. its so unique. would you say there is a difference in the integrity of deer leg sinew vs back sinew in terms of its durability and performance as a bowstring? i would assume the leg tendons would be better because of the stressful conditioning they face over a deer’s lifetime.

[@huntprimitive9918]

thanks very much. I think an all leg sinew string would be fine other than its a lot of smaller splices. You can definitely use leg and back combined but I definitely prefer the back sinew for convenience.

[@Soviless99]

@@huntprimitive9918 thank you very much for the insight!

[@ThirdLawPair]

Can you describe why some people chose to soak the bow string in hide glue before stretching and drying it, and why you opt not to?

[@relicreapers571]

Love the videos 💙 do you know if milkweed silk has ever been tried? Just an armchair watcher learner lol but curious

[@evilbetty9204]

Making the strips end at different points is kinda like interleaving a phone books pages huh?

[@huntprimitive9918]

good way of looking at it.. i never thought about it like that before

[@jamesblankenship470]

Currently I am unable to acquire sinew do you think it would be okay to use artificial sinew to make a bow string thank you love the channel and love the videos

[@user-zg1zl9xx4t]

Couldn’t you supplement the sinew with plant fiber so you can stretch out your sinew I do the same to conserve it’s a valuable resource for sure I might try that have you ? Mix sinew and plant fiber for a string . Why wouldn’t it work. Have a great day love your content

[@ericmartine902]

@HuntPrimitive that bison sinew looks so much thicker maybe the glue effect is different as you stated its seperating. not tearing yk?

[@esben181]

I live in northern europe and would like to know how you processed the nettle. You said you used it green?

[@user-zg1zl9xx4t]

Hey Ryan, so I’m making my first sinew string and it didn’t stretch very much and stayed fat. Is it possible that I didn’t soak it long enough if you get time let me know I thought about getting it wet again and re-stretching it but I don’t wanna ruin what I have anyway have a good day. Thanks for the knowledge.

[@chriswalker5644]

How do you connect the Strands to make them longer when sewing leather?

[@Texo_McKevo]

I honestly would do this but I have no bison or deer back strap

[@felipearaujo7815]

I would love to have some, but just don't think they're worth the effort FOR ME, you people that do take the time are awesome.

[@nadiaetheridge3863]

Hey mr gill I was just wondering does it matter if I put the sealer on while it’s on or off the bow?

[@solosolrac6929]

Lets goooooo

[@ericmartine902]

can you do an artificial sinew tutorial (unless its the same process) because i heard an old head comanche taught elder say that artificial actually works better. cant tell you why but that is the case apparently

[@ericmartine902]

also @HuntPrimitive Do you have any advice on a 36 inch bow? i accidently cut my comanche style bow a tad bit short lol

[@ZyonSigil]

okay since this is all about string and sinew I need to ask this here. I've ask this question SO many times to every one I can find and never got an answer so I'm hoping today is my day lol. Now can you use the sinew from a pig/boar, bear, beaver, raccoon, cow, or any other fur baring animal safely to make a bow string or cordage? (basically not getting some weird disease from using the saliva wetting method lol)

[@huntprimitive9918]

yes typically you can use the sinew from many different animals, however, they are not all created equal. You can definitely make cordage, glue and bindings. however I am not sure about a bow string only because they are much smaller animals and would require an awful lot of sinew and a lot more splicing.

[@Pal0mino35]

Hi Ryan!! I just asking - why don't you use a BOWYERS KNOT, instead a BOWLINE KNOW?

[@sladefalkenberg]

Just in time! I just broke my yucca string about five minutes ago!😂

[@huntprimitive9918]

haha, welcome to the club. I guess we can say " it happens to the best of us..lol

[@sladefalkenberg]

@@huntprimitive9918 yes sir! Thanks for the reply! You’re truly an inspiration!

[@dragoscoco2173]

Ever tried to do a gut string?

[@alanstanley8226]

what about 50/50 plant fiber and sinew so you get best of both worlds little bit of stretch and little bit of stiffness

[@Harpo77]

Do all large animals have sinew? Bear Elk Moose or just deer.

[@blackfox6165]

Hi bro

[@ndubstar]

Comparison with antelope?

[@briani7858]

WHEN DID YOU WRITE A BOOK?!

[@leviathanoutdoors8351]

How are rawhide strings

[@railerz101]

What about M. Bison?

[@puckerbutton7025]

would you sell one of these if i made an order?

[@ericmartine902]

id say the string is twice as thick while your turning it then when it stretches and dries for the final product

[@ericmartine902]

correction 4x the size that it will end up after drying lmaoo

[@nikburisson9-pissedoffpeasant-]

If you could use any sinew from any creature, what would be the best sinew? Example: deer, bison, elephant....

[@jughead8988]

I believe he answered your question at 10 minutes in.

[@huntprimitive9918]

elk for sure, and possible and most likely moose. I haven't used moose but i bet its great. Elk is perfect

[@nikburisson9-pissedoffpeasant-]

@@huntprimitive9918 That is great to know. I was hoping you would understand what I meant. I am sure sinew from different creatures, could serve different purposes(maybe netting or fishing line). I am proud of you, continue to be you friend.

[@mildmanneredmercifulmouse1839]

Kangaroo tail, long and strong. Especially a big fully mature buck.

[@user-mb4se6km5p]

I think Jay Massey did a sinew string in the book of primitive archery.? Is that right.

[@huntprimitive9918]

I am not sure. It has been probably close 20 years since I read it.

[@seanbyham7838]

Have you or someone you know tested animal gut? I heard that was used contextually as well, but it might be heresy.

[@steveromerodetorres7974]

So, it would be reasonable to think that back straps from hogs would not be as eficient as roe deer for making strings? Those are the animals i can get. Thnk you for sharing, as always.

[@huntprimitive9918]

I am honestly now sure. I have not used either for a bow string so unfortunately I dont have an answer for you on that one.

[@duckingtonedits2369]

I'm completely mine screwed. So give it to me baby uh huh uh huh.

[@alanstanley8226]

hemp or marijuana fiber is way stronger then any plant fiber ive seen btw

[@griffian4454]

12:24 forbidden spaghetti

[@huntprimitive9918]

hahaha thats for sure

[@silenttitan7636]

Without proper knowledge passed down by people like you many would not survive in a emergency situation where they need to implement these skills basic skills can mean the difference between life and death

[@huntprimitive9918]

I greatly appreciate the kind words. thank you and thanks for following along

[@aslanbosnakoglu8240]

that is not primitive. if i made it it would be primitive

[@mustamuri]

This is the rope , not bow string✨🧸✨ 👶👎

[@huntprimitive9918]

except that I kill a lot of animals with mine. You can make yours any way you'd like.

[@TheCanadianBeaver]

Awesome video! All the best and always remember to follow your nose! 🍁🦫

[@edkleinhesselink7072]

Awesome video.I was wondering Ryan....Have you ever sacrificed a finished sinew bow string to see what weight it took to break it?