Knot Crack in Selfbow

[jhoang719]

Hi everyone!

I'm new to the forum but have seen some cool threads about bow making here, which is why I am posting, looking for some advice on a bow I'm working on. I was trying to steam bend my handle/riser so that it lined up with my tips and I noticed that there was a longitudinal crack that developed around a knot close to the riser. Is this crack a major concern or is it an easy fix? Thanks in advance for the help.

Cheers,
Jon
 

[jhoang719]

Here is a picture of it

[willie]

welcome Jon

maybe not so much. it's hard to tell from the pic. is that the back you are showing us? is the handle going to bend?

[Ryan Jacob]

Is it just me or are there also a bunch of lines going in random directions? What are those tool marks?

[jhoang719]

That is a picture of the back of the bow which is why I am a little worried. The handle is not going to bend.The lines that aren't the crack are tool marks and possibly light pencil marks. I got it down to a single growth ring for the back of the bow but still need to go back and clean it up a bit. The wood is black locust if that is of any signicance.

[Bryce]

Horizontal cracks are the ones that you need worry about

Longitudinal, fill with some Tite chairs glue (low viscous CA)

Btw, what’s the wood?

[Ryan Jacob]

jhoang719
Yeah don’t worry, just glue it shut.
Bryce
He just mentioned it being black locust at the end of the most recent post.

[stickbowbeard]

I agree with the comments to just fill it with glue (I just use super glue) and it should be fine.  And about those tool marks...I have an Osage selfbow with similar tool marks on the back that I never got totally smoothed out that has been shot thousands and thousands of times with no ill effect.  I have a Hickory bow with a few lingering tool marks from removing the bark as well that has also survived the test of time, although that one is a lighter bow pulling about 35#.  I definitely try and do a better job of smoothing out the tool marks with a scraper or something these days.  But my experience has been that as long as those tool marks, which look more like indentations than something that actually cuts the grain, don't violate a growth ring, the back of the bow should still be strong.  Of course, others may have different experiences, and both of these bows are made of woods with superior strength in tension, so this may not translate across all bow woods.

Anyway, good luck with this one.

Eric

[George Tsoukalas]

Jon,
It really is hard to say. If it is a drying crack it should be fine. Hit it with superglue and clamp it.

With all large knots, leave that area slightly stiffer than the rest of the limb.

Jawge

[jhoang719]

Awesome! Thanks a bunch everyone! I thought I was gonna have to scrap the stave but I am very happy to hear it can be fixed with some super glue. I really hope this bow turns out well.

[Yellowstave]

This bpw is 35 lb at 28 inches and shoots decent enough. Point is it still shoots after 2 years.