Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: smokeu on August 06, 2009, 10:29:14 am

Title: Knot on back of BL bow......opinions needed.
Post by: smokeu on August 06, 2009, 10:29:14 am
This is a Black locust bow I made a while back that had some knots that i left a layer of wood over the size of a quarter.  The knot is really quite small and may have been unessisarily left built up. The problem is that the extra wood is lifting up at the edge of the knot.

Should i wrap it, super glue it, or sand it down and refinish.  Like said above it seems a little unesisary for the extra wood now, I was just trying to be cautious, there was actually another knot that i left totally bare that has done fine.  I just dont want the extra wood off the knot to pop of and compromise my back..

All help welcome!!

Thanks

Mike

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Title: Re: Knot on back of BL bow......opinions needed.
Post by: bigcountry on August 06, 2009, 10:37:45 am
I have no idea.  But will curious on the advise.  If it was me, I would sinew wrap it.  If you remove the extra wood,  it will change your tiller I think. 

But I have no idea.  Just thinking.
Title: Re: Knot on back of BL bow......opinions needed.
Post by: JustAim on August 06, 2009, 11:04:47 am
l've never worked with black locust before but l'm sure it needs to be chased to one complete grown ring like osage.
Title: Re: Knot on back of BL bow......opinions needed.
Post by: Michael C. on August 06, 2009, 11:26:03 am
I have no idea.  But will curious on the advise.  If it was me, I would sinew wrap it.  If you remove the extra wood,  it will change your tiller I think. 

But I have no idea.  Just thinking.

I don't know the answer to this and am just asking, won't sinew wrapped around a limb change the tiller? It might hinge like Big said if there is quite a bit of wood that you left on the knot and depending how wide/long the knot is, but if you leave it it's going to come up and ruin that bow. If its pretty small I wouldn't think taking the extra wood off and refinishing it would hurt. I try to make sure to clean those off with a knife before I tiller now, because I have had one of the five (still a newbie, so take that into account) bows I have made break from one just like that coming apart.
Title: Re: Knot on back of BL bow......opinions needed.
Post by: Pappy on August 06, 2009, 11:30:32 am
I always take it down to the same ring over the knot,you have to be very careful when you go over the knot because the grain usually gets thinner over it, but it can be done just go slow and scrap lightly. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Knot on back of BL bow......opinions needed.
Post by: coyote pup on August 06, 2009, 12:49:33 pm
Like Pappy said. I've made several BL bows and it is my favorite wood. I would take most of that wood off, if not all. Especially if it is a very small knot. The wood lifting on the edges is trying to tell you it doesn't want to be there.
Title: Re: Knot on back of BL bow......opinions needed.
Post by: Hillbilly on August 06, 2009, 01:20:03 pm
I never leave extra rings of wood over a knot, because it always does like yours is doing. Take it down to the same ring, the knot will be naturally raised. Just don't violate the back ring or cut through the knot. With knots close to the edge like that, I like to leave some extra width around them.
Title: Re: Knot on back of BL bow......opinions needed.
Post by: mullet on August 06, 2009, 01:48:19 pm
 I take it down to a single growth ring also. If I'm being cautious I'll soak some warm super-glue into it.
Title: Re: Knot on back of BL bow......opinions needed.
Post by: George Tsoukalas on August 06, 2009, 03:06:24 pm
Yup, that's what I do too usually, smokeu. When possible I bring it to the same growth ring. But I let the knot swirl.  Yours is right on the edge.  The knot looks to be cut off a bit. There have been times when I've had  to leave more wood around the knot. Not often though. In that case,  I feather the wood in gradually.   The other thing is heavily knotted areas should be tillered slightly stiffer  than the surrounding parts of  the limb. Jawge
Title: Re: Knot on back of BL bow......opinions needed.
Post by: woodstick on August 06, 2009, 09:05:12 pm
i work all knots just like the rest of the back and never yet had a problem with em, knock on wood.