Safety for longitudinal weathering checks on Osage

[upstatenybowyer]

Hi guys. I've got this Osage bow I'm working on from a piece of standing dead wood with some longitudinal weathering checks. I've got it tillered out to 68# at 24" with the goal of 65# at 27". There's no backing and so far, so good, but the rings are quite thin and a few of the checks run close to the edge, but not off. I really wanted an unbacked osage bow (never made one before) but I'm worried about safety.

Check out these pics. If I were to back, I thought about laying a few strands of sinew over the checks and putting some cherry bark over that. Let me know what you think. Thanks very much as always. 

[Bob W.]

I'm watching to see what the experts say so I know how to tackle mine. I would think that if they did not run off the edge you should be OK!

[bradsmith2010]

sometimes its a matter of doing what is best for the bow,,
a few strands of sinew is probably not gonna do much,( a thin layer on the whole bow would do something)
I am just telling you what I would do if it was my bow,, it would not be worth risking it to me,, I would back it with rawhide,, just to be safe,, a use a  more suitable piece for an unbacked bow,,
osage is tough  ,, and it might be ok unbacked,, but your odds of success would go way up if it were backed,,
( Pope and Young were of the same opinion),,, like I said if the weight was lower I might go for it,, thats my gut feeling,,    how long is the bow,,??

[upstatenybowyer]

^ Thanks Brad. It's 58" long and bends through the handle. I'm very happy with the tiller thus far and I'm pretty sure I can hit that target draw weight so you may have just convinced me to go with safety.

I know rawhide is dependable but it's a little pricey for me right now. In TBB Comstock says cherry bark is a "most functional bow backing." Think I should hold out for the rawhide?

[BowEd]

Hey upstate I'll trade ya some rawhide for some cherry bark.

[upstatenybowyer]

Hey upstate I'll trade ya some rawhide for some cherry bark.

Consider it done. I'll PM you. 

[BowEd]

The only crack that concerns me is the one in the first pic.The way it's angeling a little.The other does'nt.It's going in a straight line.Shooting them full of thin super can't be over looked either.....lol.

[Pat B]

I would fill all of the checks with super glue. What draw length are you aiming for?

[Bob W.]

If you want to back it you would have a sinew backed bow. If you, want it as close to a selfbow as possible  with some added protection rawhide back it, I've done both and left drying checks exposed that did not run off and flooded them with ca. You have three options, me personally I would rawhide back it.

[justsomedude]

Good timely thread. I am working with some standing half dead Osage. I have been careful to split at the checks and not have any in my potential stages. But I have a lot of it so I can pick and choose to an extent.

I'll keep the super
Glue tip in mind for the future

[mikekeswick]

Yes the first one is 'iffy'. Definitely rawhide back that one. 

[Pappy]

I would fill it with glue and go for it, the first is a little iffy but as wide as it is, if it does decide to go Rawhide ant going to stop it anyway. I would fill with super glue, clamp it until it's dry and move on.
 Pappy

[Stick Bender]

Thats some nice looking dead hedge, you could do a tapering combed flax patch before the raw hide & it probably would be bullet proof I just did one with the flax & raw hide for a minor splinter on the out side of a pin I probably could have got away with crazy glue and round over but I only make hunting bows & dont like to take risk every peace of wood is as different as the people that work on them so what works for one might not work for me !

[rps3]

The check close to the edge looks like it is straightening out and heading down the limb. I made one with a very similar check years ago and really kept an eye on it for a while, but after shooting 4 deer with it I forget it is even there now. I say super glue and go for it. I use bob smiths brand super thin.

[upstatenybowyer]

Thanks a lot for your thoughts guys. I'll CA the checks and give myself some time to think. Maybe when I go back to it my gut will tell me what to do.