Osage ring question ?

[Stick Bender]

Im chasing this osage ring this morning and ran across this every thing seems to be in the same ring and there is a good separation between rings I have ran into crazy grain around knots but this almost seems like a ring violation but from the side view its the same ring ?

[BowEd]

A lot of osage will have within the latewood ring between the two early wood spaces what people want to call moon rings.They are visible.If your in the same ring yet you should be ok.Although a bees butt look on the back from a pin knot can be trouble.

[upstatenybowyer]

It's hard to say from a pic, but it looks like there's two separate rings with the transition from one to the next just above that pin knot. If it's one ring, I've never seen a natural separation of one ring underneath another like that before.

Also looks like the pin itself is violated a bit. Thin rings on that stave?

Just read your comment Ed. Never heard of "moon rings" before.  interesting 

[Stick Bender]

Ok thanks Ed are you saying that knot is the Bees butt look ? I scraped with a real sharp scraper and the border look came out  This one is going to be sinewed backed but still want the back solid ?

[upstatenybowyer]

Looks way different from that angle. Now it looks like all one ring for sure. If you're sinew backing it it really shouldn't matter anyway. 

[Stick Bender]

Thanks Jeff the rings are what I would call medium Im in the second one down now I never herd of moon rings ether learn somthing new every day !

[SLIMBOB]

Just a few thoughts....I recently had one very similar where the ring I was chasing just seemed to disappear.  Very little if any early wood at the junction of the 2 apparent rings.  I ended up dropping down a ring.  Very frustrating as it did the same thing at the same spot.  Dropped a few more and it was fine.  No idea why it did that and I've not seen another like it.  Not sure yours is the same but it looks similar.
 I've seen some Osage with more discernible lunar rings than most. Almost semi ring porous looking, like Hackberry. 
 I would want to eliminate it were it me. 
 Second pic looks way better. 

[BowEd]

Look very closely at your end grain in the latewood.Not all osage has it as distinct as others.They are normally not a problem at all with most bows.Others who have worked a lot of osage should comment too.As commented on here earlier in the past not all osage is the same.
I really think you'll be ok but it's your bow and go with your gut.If rawhide makes you feel better I'd do it.Good pics by the way.I tried close ups with my camera and they came out too fuzzy to show my point.
Yes lunar's what it's called too.

[BowEd]

I still say of it's within the main ring you should be ok.It has for me many many times.That's why lots of times leaving a little wood on each pin knot while chasing rings is a good idea and then slowly touching it up later with a scraper.

[Stick Bender]

This the second ring I have chased on this stave because I didn't like the other it seems to be cleaning up a bit it's like sticky early wood in wider grain , this one is going to be sinew backed I'm not trying to short cut any thing but never ran into it before good learning experience also I could never get the dull draw knife method like in TBB to work before ,but took a old draw knife loosely sharpened it and took my burring tool and put a burr on it , in about 3 hrs I have 3/4 of the ring chased it really works good they must have forgot to mention the burr in TBB...lol  Thanks Slimbob glad to see you back around ! I will finish it today if I can keep the wife out of my hair & if I don't like it I will start over again !

[BowEd]

That's it!!!If you got enough thickness you can go to the next ring.You should be ok.

[simson]

These are violations of so called monthly rings. In fact these rings have nothing to do with months, but are episodes of growing in one ring. You can watch these rings in nearly every elm ring. if you ring is thick enough, you can live with that violation (and if desired drawweight is not exessive). If you have enough meat to go down to the next, this would be the secure way.

[Stick Bender]

Here is the view from the othere direction this ring is the thickest of the bunch in the upper section Im on the border as far as handle thickness of where I want to be but could go down one more ring I think !

[simson]

Where on the stave is that violated area? If you can place it at the non bending part (handle) - not a problem!

[Stick Bender]

Ok the hell with it I won't feel right unless It's right ,I'm finish this ring out and chase to the next maybe the 3 rd is the charm