Advice on a knot

[ajbruggink]

Heh guys,

A few weeks ago I started roughing out this small Osage stave I had. I removed wood from the sides before beginning to chase a ring but then I came across a knot in the side of the bow limb. I didn't see anything on that part of the stave that told me there was a knot there but there is. It doesn't go all the way through the limb and I probably ate through half of it with the rasp anyway and I was wondering if this knot is going to be a problem or not. I put a Sharpie marker where the knot is located on the bow stave and drew a star symbol also for location. Your advice is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Aaron

https://imgur.com/Y3xqRDq
https://imgur.com/gzS9s57
https://imgur.com/6TArHwK

[burchett.donald]

aj,
        Don't know what style you are making...That being said, I think this area may be left stiff outer anyway...I don't see a problem being Osage...What style are you making, weight, length...
                                                                                                                                      Don

[Eric Krewson]

It could go either way, I suspect the punky part of the knot will pop out even if you give it a good soaking with superglue.

I don't know how wide your tips are but I would leave the tips thick (1/2"+) for strength and narrow them to get rid of the knot. Be sure to follow the grain that flowed around the knot.

[ajbruggink]

aj,
        Don't know what style you are making...That being said, I think this area may be left stiff outer anyway...I don't see a problem being Osage...What style are you making, weight, length...
                                                                                                                                      Don

I am making a D-bow with a working handle. The length is 63" from tip to tip and the knot is about 6 1/2" from the tip of the bow limb. The design is 1 1/8" inches wide the center 15" of the stave where it tapers to 1/2" tips. I was going to try to make this bow 45#@29".

[Jim Davis]

Here's a case where I would try to work the sap wood to one ring and use that for the back. It looks like the sap wood is uninterrupted.

[ajbruggink]

Here's a case where I would try to work the sap wood to one ring and use that for the back. It looks like the sap wood is uninterrupted.

The problem with that is I already worked to one heartwood ring on the other side of the stave, so that's going to be a problem.