Cherry Recurve Autopsy

[SLIMBOB]

Not a clue. Just hope there aren’t any. Wish I had some kind of veteran wisdom to share about dealing with them. Maybe someone does. They seem to make random appearances and overstay their welcome.

[BowEd]

Here's a black cherry that's been sinewed for quite a few years now before I wised up about cherry.I think around 1200 grains of sinew on it.I've had it to 6"brace height balanced on the peg board but hav'nt put a string on it yet.I think it needs limb tip alignment adjustments too if I remember correctly.
I can almost gaurantee if it makes a bow it'll chrysall on the belly sometime in it's life.Too much reflex for black cherry wood.I do it successfully with osage,hickory and elm with no chrysall and it makes a good sound bow that lasts decades.
1 and 3/4" wide at fades and 61" TTT long.Resting with 7" of reflex.

[boomhowzer]

That's a beautiful bow. I would love to see that thing braced and drawn, even if its not perfect, even if its wildly imperfect. It has such a sweet, even curve, and the fade outs at the handle are like a symphony of symmetry.

But you said you "wised up about cherry." What did you learn that made you wise about it?

[BowEd]

That extreme designs on black cherry are not the best choice.

[Pat B]

I've only made selfbows with cherry sapwood and they were basic flat bows with plenty of length and width. Never made a cherry heartwood bow but I think the sapwood and heartwood are 2 different animals.

[BowEd]

I've sinewed them with sapwood and without sapwood.Either way a backing should be put on black cherry.
PS.....Unless like Pat said there you have plenty of length and enough width to ease the strain.I have a 6' black cherry stave with 1/4"  sapwood here that is around 2" wide.Cambium is intermittent on it.Personally I will make an unbacked bow from that around 66 to 68 inches long with a stiff handle of 8 to 10 inches long and around 1 and 3/4" wide at fades and at least 2" long fades to get at least a 50# bow at 28" to see it survive decades of use.
It is beautiful wood to look at and it does shoot very smooth.

[boomhowzer]

Thanks for the help, guys. I'm hoping to start hacking away at my next one today.