Knot in handle

[WhistlingBadger]

Roughing out a new attempt at a shorty recurve.  This one has a fair-sized knot in the handle.  The punky spot is about 5/8" long.  Should I leave it, or drill it out?  If I drill it out, could I make a big enough hole for an arrow to pass through?  That would be kind of cool.  What do you think?   

[Pat B]

Generally a knot in a handle, non working area isn't a problem. What I'd do is fill it with fine saw dust and super glue. If it is deep enough you may have to do this in a few different sessions with the glue drying between each each session.

[M2A]

I'd try and center it in the handle and leave enough mass around to keep it non-working. A bit different but here is one that ran out the back and side of handle/ arrow pass. I filled the arrowpass with superglue and ground rock.
IMG_3971 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr

IMG_3970 by Mike Allridge, on Flickr   

[bentstick54]

If it’s punky I would clean out any of the bad punky knot/wood and do as Pat recommended. Hers one I did for a young lady that had a punky knot in the lower fade. I used my pocket knife and scraped and flaked out anything I could until I got to solid wood. I packed in super glue mixed with fine saw dust in layers until level, then took a brown marker and colored it to make it look like a knot before sealing the bow. Worked great.

[bassman211]

Super glue ,and saw dust make one hell of a plug. I have saved more than one bow using it.

[Jim Davis]

Just want to add that it's not useful to make a bow that shoots THROUGH the handle, as you suggest. You don't get a good sighting image and it's rough on feathers.

The idea was tried commercially early last century and didn't catch on for those reasons.

[TimBo]

Is that one of the hickory staves I sent you?  I was wondering when you would get to the one with the knot!

[superdav95]

I had one similar where I filled it in with red dyed resin and worked it into the handle shape.  Here’s a couple pics. 

[WhistlingBadger]

Thanks for the advice, guys.  Looks like I'll just scrape it out and plug it.  It is probably going to end up covered in leather, so I'm not too worried about the aesthetics, though it would be fun to do something crazy like Superdav's. 

I'd try and center it in the handle and leave enough mass around to keep it non-working. A bit different but here is one that ran out the back and side of handle/ arrow pass. I filled the arrowpass with superglue and ground rock.

Ground rock, huh?  Maybe instead of sawdust, I'll use some of this bright-gold sandstone we have around here...

Just want to add that it's not useful to make a bow that shoots THROUGH the handle, as you suggest. You don't get a good sighting image and it's rough on feathers.

The idea was tried commercially early last century and didn't catch on for those reasons.

I figured somebody had tried it and it didn't work, or it would be more common.  And I could see the feather problem.

Is that one of the hickory staves I sent you?  I was wondering when you would get to the one with the knot!

Yeah, Tim, this is the second-to-last one you sent me.  It has that weird knot in the middle that has grown over so it's just a big bulge on the back.  I'm trying to decide whether to scrape the back smooth (since I'm going to back this one anyway) or leave it as a hand placement aid...

I had one similar where I filled it in with red dyed resin and worked it into the handle shape.  Here’s a couple pics. 

Wow, that is scary looking.  I bet you don't have to worry about anybody picking that one up and shooting it without your permission.