Should I pop a belly split?

[RAU]

I got this real nice stave from Osage outlaw. I roughed it out with hatchet, drawknife and this rigid sander to within a 1/8-1/4" of my lines. I'll make the lines disappear with good rasp next.  I haven't chased a ring on it yet but I'm not going down far. (I've  been chasing ring after I cut bow shape out lately). Anyway who here would try to pop a belly split off this? It's thick! I'm sure I'm not going to as I can't cut Osage anywhere near me, i have to buy and if I ruin this nice piece of wood being thrifty I'll cry. Just curious who'd try for a second bow?

https://imgur.com/a/sBMWn

[osage outlaw]

Photobucket pictures don't work anymore.  Do you have a bandsaw?  It would be safer to cut a belly slat off instead of splitting it.

[RAU]

I don't. I'll send you a pic

[dylanholderman]

Photobucket pictures don't work anymore.  Do you have a bandsaw?  It would be safer to cut a belly slat off instead of splitting it.

I'll second that and add that you can use a jigsaw to split it too.

[Badger]

  I have better luck splitting but I use kind of a tedious method. I have a box full of mini wedges about 1/2" wide and 1/8" thick. I just follow down the ring I want. Most of the time I don't have to flip them over and do the other side but sometimes I have to run the wedges down the same ring on the other side as well.

[Danzn Bar]

Belly splits can be the best bow wood around .  Usually it is closer to the younger tree where the rings are nice and the early to late wood  ratio is the best for the trees life.  I most of the time split the bely split off as soon as I split the log.  But if there's enough wood it doesn't mater when you split it.  Good Luck
DBar

[osage outlaw]

That stave was a belly split. 

[simson]

I would split for sure!
And do exactly like Steve said!

[Hamish]

 I wouldn't split it, especially if you haven't gone done to your chosen ring yet. If  I then decided to try I would use a bandsaw.
Yes you could split off  the belly with tiny wedges, but you sound inexperienced and it is not really the place to learn  with a good oasge stave.
Best case scenario you could end with 2 marginally thick  staves that might need  glued on handles, or you could end up with a couple of pieces of firewood. Practice belly splits on other wood first, get the process down and use it on future staves. As the saying goes "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush". Though good luck if you end up deciding to split it.

[mikekeswick]

I agree with what Hamish said above - A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush and practise makes perfect
That isn't an easy split if you aren't sure what you are doing.