dealing with splinters lifting on belly when heat bending

[sadiejane]

 just read another post regarding adding some tip overlays after lifting splinters while heating bending.
i have certainly lifted splinters a few times doing this but so far, have always been able to sand em away as they werent very deep.

but a cupla weeks ago my bowmaking pal wayne did this and lifted a few pretty good splinters. one is thru to the early growth part of that belly ring.
he has no intention of sanding or anything else as he thinks that as you draw it closes the splinter and shld be fine.

so i wanted to toss it out here and see what yall say as ive never seen(that i recall) anyone just leave em be and shoot.
thanks for your input
peace

[sharpend60]

I seem to recall hearing you friends theory before.
Makes sense to me, even if I dont like it...

[k-hat]

I had one do that and put some CA glue in the crack and closed it up.  Shot it a few times, then whacked it off cuz i just wasn't comfortable with it being there!  Now i have a shorty to finish up

[RBLusthaus]

I would think that both sides of the splinter, that is, the lifted up part and the solid part from where it came, would slide over each other as the bow is drawn, instead of compacting as we want belly to do.  This would mean that that wood is not a part of the "storage of energy" of the bow, meaning that this part of the belly will always be a weak point.  If the bow can stand a weak point in that location (overbuilt), you would be fine.  If not, well then I would imagine you will get some type of fret or other compression failure. 

It is for this reason that I bend my recurves or flip my tips with extra meat on the limbs.  This way, the splinter which always arises, is in the extra meat to be carved off. 

Not sure if I am 100% on this, but it is certainly how I have guided myself in the past.  I would love to know if others agree with me.

Russ

[gstoneberg]

I've found that using a metal strap on the belly portion that's bending helps reduce splinters.  And I also leave extra thickness on the tips before bending that gets removed after bending just to be sure I can get under splinters.  But, if I got a deep one I'd grind it flat and glue on an underlay.  So far I haven't had to but I like the way they look so if it happens I won't be crying that much.

George

[Bryce]

I was using dry heat when I was flipping the tips on a chittam bow and the belly opened up just like you discribed, I stopped, filled it in with a lot if super glue. And she shoots just dandy

-Pinecone

[lostarrow]

Sounds like a compromise of structural integrity to me. I've tried a couple of laminated designs with a dense tropical for the belly lam. On one , the grain  was less than perfect, and when the bow was being tillered ,the compression was too much . The belly splintered like what you were talking about and shoved the one piece right past the other. I'm thinking the same is going to happen to your friend but in a more dramatic fashion with it being near the nock. Hope no one gets hurt. Let us know how this one turns out.

[lostarrow]

I'm going with pinecone on this. A good glue bond will be stronger than the wood.

[bubby]

yeah, glue it and clamp it, sand it down  and if you want, wrap it with sinew or silk string or something, i leave the tips thick and throw a thin pc of wood in the steamer and use that to support the wood instead of a metal strip, Bub

[sadiejane]

thanks fellas. will print these responses off(wayne doenst use the computer) and let him decide for himself.
i shoot about 50 arrows thru this bow wed nite and it shoots good. its rather light(about 40#).
i had suggested a light sanding and glue, but so far he has decided to leave alone and i werent smart enuf to explain why i thought he shldnt....