Hide glue
Made mainly of collagen, hide glue is combined with fibers extracted from sinew to make, once dry, extremely strong ligatures.
An accessible recipe
A simple alternative starts from buffalo or pig hide (store-bought dog chews work very well). Soak in cold water for 4 hours or overnight, then cut into thin strips. Cook very gently in a double boiler, never letting it boil, until the mixture thickens.
Use
The glue is heated, then the sinew or plant fibers intended for the ligatures are dipped into it before assembly.
The 14 steps
