What do do about crack in osage bow belly?

[Longshadows]

Hello all,

I was working on this bow and got it to shortstring tillering. The stave has some twist in the tips that needs to be straightened out, and it threw the string. I noticed this after.

Is the bow toast? Anything I can do that might help it?

[TimBo]

Is that close to the fades/handle?  A photo showing location of the crack would help.

[Longshadows]

It is right where the fades begin, yes.

[Hamish]

If you can avoid repeating the original mistake you should have a good chance of salvaging a bow out of the stave. I'd run some thin superglue into the crack and clamp it.  Tiller it out and most if not all of the crack should get worked off.

If you need to crank the tips, keep all heat and bending away from the section with the crack, as heat will cause the dry superglue to vaporize.

Keep the loops on the bowstring as small as practically possible to avoid it flipping out of the nocks.

[superdav95]

what hamish said.  ca glue to the rescue.  Ive also done a repair like this with a good 2 part epoxy like smooth on ea40 or west systems after heating or warming up slightly the cracked area and also the epoxy to get it deep down in there and then clamp.  best of luck with the repair.  keep us posted on how it goes. 

[bjrogg]

I agree

Bjrogg

[TimBo]

For the future, I would also try to keep the belly and sides a bit smoother, even early on - tool marks, gouges, small tearouts etc. can pop splinters easily once things are bending.  Use a scraper or fine rasp (no sandpaper yet until you are done using tools).  It's also less work later.  Good luck - looking forward to seeing the finished bow!