Fish bladder glue
Carefully made by Denis Betoulle, the clan's archery expert, this fish (swim) bladder glue is quite simply the finest animal glue there is. Used by cabinetmakers and archers for its extraordinary mechanical properties, it is the only glue able to bond animal materials such as wood and horn together — the technique used to make Mongol, Chinese or Turkish composite bows.
Characteristics
Farmed Siberian sturgeon bladders (Acipenser baerii), no preservatives. Available as granules or sheets.
Traditional uses
Cabinetmaking, manuscript illumination, lutherie, and the construction of composite bows.
Preparation
Rehydration: 3 hours for granules, 24 hours for sheets. Heated in a double boiler, between 40 and 45 °C.
Application
Gluing followed by drying: 24 hours for wood and horn, several months for sinew. Should only be heated once; keeps for several years when stored dry.
