How To Make String From Deer Backstrap
Learning how to get sinew from a deer backstrap is easy. You can make thread or string of whatever thickness you like from the backstrap. And it is very strong, so don't be fooled into thinking because it is natural that it is going to be weak and fragile.
If you are a deer hunter you probably already know what the backstrap from a deer is, if not the backstrap is the muscle that runs down the back of a deer... right up on top of the spine. Here you can see a deer that has had one of its two backstraps removed.
Once the backstrap is cut away you will need to remove the fat from the meat. The fat will be white. The meat is red in color. I prefer to remove the thin layer of fat which comes off the back of the deer first, prior to cutting the backstrap away from the deer.
Regardless once you have the backstrap you will see a thin sheath covering the muscle. If you were to cut the backstrap you can see the difference easily. The pure muscle is deep red and the outside covering of the muscle pales it to a more white color. This white sheath also known as silver skin is what you want for making thread and string.
To cut it away you poke your knife blade though the sheath and staying as shallow as possible you allow the knife to run under the sheath and then poke through again. You then run the knife along the backstrap cutting away the sheath from the muscle.
The two separate pretty easily because this sheath is pretty tough. So simply, do your best to cut away as much of this silver skin as possible in one long piece. After the sheath is removed you must remove all of the muscle from the sheath. There should be very little attached if you did everything right.
To remove the meat, just scrap the meat with your knife blade. It will come off pretty easily. Now set the silver skin aside and let it dry. Bingo that is it. It will harden as it dries and you will have a sheet of silver skin that you can easily separate into whatever size fiber you want depending what you are making... thread, string etc.!
Once the backstrap is cut away you will need to remove the fat from the meat. The fat will be white. The meat is red in color. I prefer to remove the thin layer of fat which comes off the back of the deer first, prior to cutting the backstrap away from the deer.
Regardless once you have the backstrap you will see a thin sheath covering the muscle. If you were to cut the backstrap you can see the difference easily. The pure muscle is deep red and the outside covering of the muscle pales it to a more white color. This white sheath also known as silver skin is what you want for making thread and string.
To cut it away you poke your knife blade though the sheath and staying as shallow as possible you allow the knife to run under the sheath and then poke through again. You then run the knife along the backstrap cutting away the sheath from the muscle.
To remove the meat, just scrap the meat with your knife blade. It will come off pretty easily. Now set the silver skin aside and let it dry. Bingo that is it. It will harden as it dries and you will have a sheet of silver skin that you can easily separate into whatever size fiber you want depending what you are making... thread, string etc.!
