Author Topic: Any suggestions to save this bow?  (Read 11326 times)

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Offline CrazyHorse1969

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Any suggestions to save this bow?
« on: March 06, 2015, 09:11:59 pm »
I was rolling along with this Black Locust bow. I had it as perfectly tillered as I could and drawing 40 pounds at my 27" draw weight. I shot 50 + arrows today, and the bow was shooting straight and snappy. I never noticed this--on the BACK of the bow, of course--until I got inside the house.

Any suggestions to save this bow? Or, is this the end of the road?

As always, I value your expertise.
« Last Edit: March 06, 2015, 09:44:55 pm by CrazyHorse1969 »
"For if he like a madman lived, at least he like a wise one died." ~ Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes

Offline Springbuck

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Re: Break it to me gently...or not
« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2015, 09:46:30 pm »
  If that is on the back, that is a perfect example of leveling a knot and violating fibers leading to a transverse tension crack.

Prognosis aint good.  It can be fixed, but only throough methods that basically remake the bow.

Offline CrazyHorse1969

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Re: Any suggestions to save this bow?
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2015, 09:52:14 pm »
Thanks. I figured it was bad news, but chalk it up to my fourth self bow attempt. I really thought I was cautious around that knot, I knew it was there, but in the end it got the better of me. Fudge.

Would I have to case another ring on this bow? Could I back it with something?
"For if he like a madman lived, at least he like a wise one died." ~ Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes

Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: Any suggestions to save this bow?
« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2015, 11:01:21 pm »
You could try wrapping it with sinew set in hide glue. That would give you the greater chance for success. But you never know when it would let go.

You could also wrap it with thread or B 50 or serving material set in epoxy. That could work too.

It is agood idea to leave knotted areas wider and when tillering that area leave it just a little stiffer than the rest of the limb.

Jawge
Set Happens!
If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin!

Offline CrazyHorse1969

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Re: Any suggestions to save this bow?
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2015, 11:11:16 pm »
Thanks! I don't like the idea of giving up on this bow quite yet, so any and all suggestions are welcome. I appreciate your advice.

Have you ever seen someone stitch a sort of a sheath of rawhide then slide it over the limb, gluing it down with TB3?
"For if he like a madman lived, at least he like a wise one died." ~ Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes

Offline SLIMBOB

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Re: Any suggestions to save this bow?
« Reply #5 on: March 06, 2015, 11:45:30 pm »
That sir looks like a dead bow to me.  Don't know that you could ever trust it with any kind of patch. Let me say I could never trust it. Rather put time in on the next keeper than spend a lot of time on one that I will never be happy with. Hate when you get one this close and lose it, but it happens.
Liberty, In God We Trust, E Pluribus Unum.  Distinctly American Values.

Offline CrazyHorse1969

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Re: Any suggestions to save this bow?
« Reply #6 on: March 06, 2015, 11:54:09 pm »
That sir looks like a dead bow to me.  Don't know that you could ever trust it with any kind of patch. Let me say I could never trust it. Rather put time in on the next keeper than spend a lot of time on one that I will never be happy with. Hate when you get one this close and lose it, but it happens.

I figured as such. No worries. Perhaps I will dress it up and put it over the fire place. Or, more than likely, put it in the fire place.
"For if he like a madman lived, at least he like a wise one died." ~ Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes

Offline osage outlaw

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Re: Any suggestions to save this bow?
« Reply #7 on: March 07, 2015, 12:24:25 am »
If that was my bow I'd put it on the tillering tree and yank it back until it blew. 
I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left

Offline okie64

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Re: Any suggestions to save this bow?
« Reply #8 on: March 07, 2015, 01:38:44 am »
I would cover it with super glue, then wrap it in thread for a few inches each side of the crack and carry on. It will probably last a while like that. Ive done a few that way with pretty bad cracks and theyre still shooting.

mikekeswick

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Re: Any suggestions to save this bow?
« Reply #9 on: March 07, 2015, 02:58:43 am »
I would cover it with super glue, then wrap it in thread for a few inches each side of the crack and carry on. It will probably last a while like that. Ive done a few that way with pretty bad cracks and theyre still shooting.

I like my eyes!!!  ;) ;) ;)
I agree with giving it a go to try and fix it but that's a dead bow, I would then do the same as osage outlaw. That way you learn about fixing methods and also (more importantly) how much a wrap/rawhide/whatever will hold.....but you don't lose an eye doing it on a tillering tree!

Offline PAHunter

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Re: Any suggestions to save this bow?
« Reply #10 on: March 07, 2015, 03:58:25 am »
I have a nice one on the hickory bow i'm doing now.  I'm gonna put super glue in the crack and sinew wrap that area with TB.  And keep my fingers crossed of course.   ;)
Thanks,
Rob - Wexford, PA

"Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe". - Abe Lincoln

Offline sieddy

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Re: Any suggestions to save this bow?
« Reply #11 on: March 07, 2015, 04:43:38 am »
Crazy horse I have no suggestions only sympathy. You must've been gutted when you saw that crack!
I hope you are able to patch it.  :)
"No man ever broke his bow but another man found a use for the string" Irish proverb

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Any suggestions to save this bow?
« Reply #12 on: March 07, 2015, 08:04:11 am »
Rawhide and forget it.
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline Roy

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Re: Any suggestions to save this bow?
« Reply #13 on: March 07, 2015, 09:19:12 am »
I wouldn't take the chance of it blowing up on down the line. It has a crack at a knot, that crack is going to keep growing deeper and wider shooting that bow, no matter how you fix it. Put the bow on the band saw and cut it up.

Offline Badly Bent

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Re: Any suggestions to save this bow?
« Reply #14 on: March 07, 2015, 10:09:02 am »
I feel your pain CrazyHorse, just went thru the same thing yesterday. Had this one bending out to 22' and all looked good, then I heard the dreaded tick. It was a raised knot that was slightly punky and had likely been ever so slightly violated on the back while chasing a ring. I filled the small crack with super glue and then wrapped some thin rawhide around the area all the time knowing what was gonna happen next. ;D
That was a couple days ago and then yesterday I put it on the tillering tree, grabbed the rope and got back 12' and exercised it out to 22" again. When I hit 23" the explosion made me duck, found the tip 10 minutes later after an extensive search.
Quite a few hours taking this one from log to broken bow. :(
I ain't broke but I'm badly bent.