kangaroo sinew?
Hi
I have been looking into different sources of sinew and been wondering if anybody ever tried to use sinew from kangaroo? (and if it is even available??? - haven't found anyone who sell it).
Some of the toughest leather you can get comes from kangaroo, so perhaps their sinew is top-notch too?
Any experince with this or do you simply stay away from experiments that are not historically correct? (That's ok too - but I don't need a lecture) :wink:
I have been looking into different sources of sinew and been wondering if anybody ever tried to use sinew from kangaroo? (and if it is even available??? - haven't found anyone who sell it).
Some of the toughest leather you can get comes from kangaroo, so perhaps their sinew is top-notch too?
Any experince with this or do you simply stay away from experiments that are not historically correct? (That's ok too - but I don't need a lecture) :wink:
I have some kangaroo sinew that was made into a violin string. It made a tough and very fine string.
Going on kangaroo dynamics, there is a possibility that the tendon may be too stretchy for bows. One study quoted an 11% extension of a 200 mm tendon in the leg. Back tendons are very long and potentially less stretchy. I have no method to test the extension on my string and since I don't know where the sinews came from it would be to no purpose. A good test would be of both leg and back sinew.
I have only seen kangaroo tendon sold as pet food, chew toys for dogs.
Going on kangaroo dynamics, there is a possibility that the tendon may be too stretchy for bows. One study quoted an 11% extension of a 200 mm tendon in the leg. Back tendons are very long and potentially less stretchy. I have no method to test the extension on my string and since I don't know where the sinews came from it would be to no purpose. A good test would be of both leg and back sinew.
I have only seen kangaroo tendon sold as pet food, chew toys for dogs.
Yeah - I also found the chew toy :-D
Guess it is not so much different from any other wild animal sinew? Or else it would likely be more available among bow builders.
Guess it is not so much different from any other wild animal sinew? Or else it would likely be more available among bow builders.
It is more likely that it is not as easily available. There are few composite bowyers in Australia and cattle sinew is commercially available in Chinese butcher shops. Sewing with sinew thread was not a well known tradition here so there was not that source of knowledge either.
The Aborigines used plant fibres and hair to make thread commonly but there are so many aboriginal cultures here that perhaps some made sinew string as well. I remember seeing old fur robes that were made from many skins sewn together. These were from the cooler and wetter south east, but they could have been sewn with sinew. European explorers usually ignored their technology so it was not always reported. Luckily some people from various cultures have managed to keep alive the traditions.
The Aborigines used plant fibres and hair to make thread commonly but there are so many aboriginal cultures here that perhaps some made sinew string as well. I remember seeing old fur robes that were made from many skins sewn together. These were from the cooler and wetter south east, but they could have been sewn with sinew. European explorers usually ignored their technology so it was not always reported. Luckily some people from various cultures have managed to keep alive the traditions.