And some you lose

[DC]

This is the OS recurve I've been working on. Managed 14 shots got 165fps on the 13th. You can see the tiny pin where the splinter(s) started. Just about every OS I've broken has started at a little pin. I guess 27 1/2" draw was too much. The bow is 64 NTN but the working limbs are only 18". I'm starting to see a size limitation for OS.

[Stick Bender]

Oh man that sucks  !! 

[JW_Halverson]

Aw dang!

[bow101]

in my experience a 27 inch working limb seems to do best..  If the working limb is less than,,, you will see more set or string follow.

[Stixnstones]

Ouch!

[DC]

One thing I did was make the inserts too long. I was afraid to go too thin where the insert was and that shortened the working limb by about two inches. Next time I'll make the insert just as long as the curve.

[Philipp A]

Hi DC, was this a heavily crowned stave? Sorry about the break

[DC]

Yes, the handle is the original size 1 1/2". OS usually handles the high crown although this one didn't. I've made OS bows with smaller pieces but I don't think I worked them this hard.

[Philipp A]

I have had trouble with heavily crowned staves in the same area when trying to make a shorter bow that didn't bend through the handle. If I backed them and thinned them out I have ended up in many cases with chrysals.....can't win them all 

[willie]

I'm starting to see a size limitation for OS.

Possibly a size limitation on how narrow a crown you can have? Could a decrown (flattening), to a width that is at least half of the belly,  give you some margin and keep the performance?

[Marc St Louis]

That is a pain but 18" seems a bit short for a 64" bow.  I can get at lest 25" of working limb from a 64" bow

[penderbender]

That's a bummer. Was looking nice Don. Oh well you got a 1000 other potential os staves around you! Cheers - Brendan

[DC]

That is a pain but 18" seems a bit short for a 64" bow.  I can get at least 25" of working limb from a 64" bow

I can see how I could stretch it out close to that and that probably would have made the difference. Like I said above I could shorten the insert, tighten up the curves and make my fades a little steeper. The string didn't lift off until full draw so I could shorten the curve an inch. Next time.

Willie- decrowning scares me . OS's rings are very faint and those pins are always in a bit of a rise. I'd be afraid a decrowned back would be asking for trouble. I do seem to have a spare limb I could try it out on though . I could decrown it, grab it in the vise and take a big pull on it. I might try that.

Brendan- I've got about 30 staves and assorted billets dry and ready to go. I've had to force myself to not cut any more. I'm almost 70(hate to see that in print), don't want to leave a bunch of wood for my wife to deal with

[BowEd]

Sorry to see that.They are heart breakers for sure.Even getting 22" of working limb on each limb would help a bunch on a 64" bow.With something like you've just experienced maybe a little rawhide or sinew might make the difference.

[Bryce]

I've got a 60" OS that pulls 28" that still shoot great. Might have been a flaw in the wood who knows. But I think Marc is right.