Yew bow, bad growth ring. Lost case?

[Aksel]

Hello all.

I am tillering a yew recurve and I am getting close (22 inches) to full draw (27 inches) .
I heard this soft little ticking sound of wood splitting and found growth rings are separating slightly on bottom mid limb where I can see a dark streak in the sapwood. I wrapped it tightly and pulled it again and it is holding up, but is there a way I can fix this permanently or do you think it´s a lost case?

photo 2 is belly side
photo 3 is side view

aksel

[superdav95]

Aksel.  I had something similar and I just put some super thin ca glue down into the crack/separation and it held fine.  The super thin stuff wicks down deep like you’ll want it to then you can hit it with some activator or just let it dry for an hour or so to be sure.  I use the activator once I know it’s seeped in good.  You could wrap it too I guess but I would try the ca and see if you need to perhaps.  Best of luck with it. 

[Aksel]

Thanks for advice, I´ll try and look for something similar to CA glue here in Europe. but the crack is really very narrow,  so not sure how I´d get it in there. but maybe if the glue is very thin like water it might work...

After I saw the crack, i did wrap it and pull it to 22 again just to see if it would break, but it seems ok for now.

[George Tsoukalas]

I agree with Superdav95. CA is Super, Glue, Crazy Glue, etc. I fixed an osage bow with the same problem that way. That vertical crack does not run off the edge so it may work.

I also clamped it; the bow is still functional and I shot it heavily for 3 years.

Jawge

[bjrogg]

I have a Osage bow that I have been hunting with for years like that. I put thin CA glue on it and let it soak in good.

Still my favorite bow. Need to make a new string for it again. Wore out two already

Bjrogg

[Aksel]

Thanks for your replies, Superdav95, Jawge and Bjrogg. Sounds promising, or hopeful at least..

I strung the bow so the crack would open up a bit (it is really tight), poured on some superglue which to my surprise did seep in, then quickly restrung it and wrapped a bit. I let it rest for a couple of hours and the crack does seem closed now when I string the bow.

So far so good, but there are more dark growth rings in other places where I suspect more small cracks might appear later on. Guess I have to look for better quality yew next time..

[superdav95]

Ya good yew is hard to come by.  If you have some suspect areas you may want to hit them with the ca thin glue as well as a preventive measure.  Use you best judgment.  Glad it work out

[Aksel]

Bjrogg, yes this was awesome, didn´t expect it to help so well. I have now put the glue on all areas of dark suspicious growth ring  .

[Badger]

   This is a problem that is not uncommon when working with yew wood. I hope the super glue works for you. I had one that the first time I floor tillered it the entire bow split apart like pages in a book.