jesse gomez

Making String for
Your Bow


It's about time now, I guess, to make string for the bow.

The best natural material to use here, which is what the
Indians thought also, is sinew or rawhide. The various vegetable
fibers are not strong enough for this task...though some will
work for lighter weight bows.

This past season I was informed by two different people
that one of the better bow strings could be made from the neck
skin of a large turtle. I was informed that unlike sinew or
rawhide, this won't stretch when wet. "Case skin" (like pulling
a sock inside out) the neck and the cut cord spirally (like a
barber pole), stretch it and allow it to dry. This now is all that
I can tell you about it as I've never seen one nor tried it
myself..yet. I certainly will, first chance I get.

Deer rawhide makes for a good, strong, long lasting string.
Cut it in a strip about a quarter inch wide from a circle of good
solid rawhide. Begin cutting around the outside of this circle and
continue until you get to the center. A surprisingly small piece
will give alot of lace. Then soak the cut lacing until it's pliable,
double it and twist it tightly...stretching it out to let it dry.

For heavier bows I will prepare the lace the same, but then
I will "cord" it...making for an even stronger string. Again, do
this while it is wet and stretch it to dry. Remember...the finished
string will only be as strong as the weakest spot there-in..avoid
thin spots and "scores".

Sinew was probably the favorite bow string of old. It was
not only strong, but because of it's slightly elastic characteristic,
gives an additional "snap" to the arrow as it is released. Use the
leftover threads from backing your bow...or prepare them
specifically for this. It is important to keep the threads as close
to the same size as possible. One end of the thread will be thicker
than the other, so alternate as you splice in to keep the finished
product even. I begin "cording" with two threads, staggered so
that the ends don't meet. You don't want the splices to adjoin
as this will weaken the whole. Threads should also be soaked to
make the "cording" easier.

Double this "two ply"and begin cording. Kink the thread, not
evenly in half, between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand
(for right handers)...twist the individual "two ply" strands tightly
in one direction and then twist this in the other direction over the
individual "two ply" strand. (This sounds confusing, but read it
slowly and carefully, and you should be able to follow it). Thus
your "two ply" will become a "four ply" cord. Splice in threads
as you proceed. (Cording is covered extensively in my book
"Primitive Fire and Cordage").

Taken from: Primitive Wilderness Living & Survival Skills
(pp 130-131)
Authored by: John & Geri McPherson
Published by: Prairie Wolf Publications
Distributed by: www.3RiversArchery.com
Copyright: Original 1993