Finish coating for artificial sinew wrap?

[gixxer]

So I am working on this caper with an antler tine handle. I want to use a couple wraps of artificial sinew on the guard/handle joint for show. What would I use as a coating to harden and seal the wraps? I am afraid of CA, when I use a lot the stuff crazes and gets frosty. Polyurethane? Epoxy? Epoxy might work if I thin it out so you can still feel the detail and not get a lot of gap filling.

 

[LRB]

Epoxy is no different in appearance or consistancy than hide glue, which is what was originaly used. Just paint it on over the sinew.

 

[bobbywett]

I use epoxy or just plain old tung oil.....the CA dries and does leave a flaking residue. That artificial sinew is tough stuff.

 

[R.C.Reichert]

I don't use the artificial sinew any more. I find it just frays and looks bad. What I find that works really well and looks even more like real sinew (the store bought type artificial sinew still looks like artificial sinew) is actually fine hemp or jute twine and before you wrap it, just rub in some waterproof white glue to the fibers to make it sticky (Weld Bond works well). It dries up clear, extremely hard, and binds together really well. I've had people actually ask me where I got the sinew from. It looks and feels that much like real sinew when it's all bound up and dry, especially if you sort of spread out the fibers a bit when you wrap them. Basically work it the same way as you would real sinew. It is also extremely strong when all those fibers are bound together with the glue. Try it out.

I don't know how I come up with these ideas, but they work.