splicing backing strip question.

[Josh]

I have some scrap quartersawn ash i was going to use to back my fiance's purpleheart bow with and i was wondering if a butt-splice would be okay over a rigid handle area for the backing strip... The purpleheart core and handle riser are both going to be one piece will this be okay or should I do a Z or a W splice?  Thanks guys.   

[Josh]

I was even thinking about using the butt splice and putting a THIN (< 1/8" thick) overlay over the splice in the non-bending portion of the handle, will this help to hold it together? 

[dragonman]

I just finnished an ash backed cherry bow and I butt spliced the backing strips in the centre and it was totally ok. no problems

[KenH]

No reason a butt splice wouldn't work.  But a 1:8 or 1:10 simple lap splice would be better.  With 1/8" backing, you would taper each piece from full thickness to zero over and inch or an inch and a quarter, then overlap the tapers and glue them.

[Pat B]

With an overlay a simple butt splice will be fine. I prefer a scarf joint with both mating ends cut(or ground) at about a 45deg angle and an overlay over that to fill out the back of the handle.

[Justin Snyder]

I like the butt splice best. If you are concerned about it shape the handle and wrap it with silk and super glue or rawhide or whatever you wish. A leather grip will cover whatever you put on it so  it doesn't even have to be pretty.
 

[dragonman]

forgot to mention that I did use a thin overlay over the but splice, A butt splice is good enough you dont even see it under the handle why struggle with more difficult splices if it does the job? This bow was made in 5 pieces, V-spliced billetts, butt spliced backing strips and handle overlay, you can hardly notice !!!

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