Knot in short Osage bendy handle advice needed.

[Tommytinker]

I've this short Osage stave 50" tip to tip. I wanted to try a bendy handle for the first time (as I seem to have an obsession with short bows, it is a skill I need to learn!). I've managed to avoid most knots in this stave wile roughing it out but can't do anything about this one:



The knot lies right in the middle and runs from back to belly, will this work as a bendy handle?

[SLIMBOB]

I would take an awl and clean out any punky wood.  Ensure that your back ring around it is unviolated, and then just build a bow.  don't know where that knot is on the bow, and that can matter, but in general just finesse your way thru the knot.  If it's in the handle, your golden.  Just leave enough width and thickness to keep it from bending to hard.  I have an osage bow with a finger size hole thru the handle, back to belly.  I filled it with Epoxy.  Never an issue.  Static handle btw.

[Newindian]

That's nothin just clean it up some and maybe soak some superglue into it

[bradsmith2010]

just make sure you are to one growth ring,, and it should be fine,, you could take out the bad wood as suggested and fill with super glue and saw dust,, or epoxy,,,

[occupant]

Heat it with heatgun just enough that you can't touch it, mix some 5 minute epoxy and put on it while its still hot

[Pappy]

You can do as suggested and leave it a little flat right there while tillering. 
   Pappy

[simson]

Sorry folks, but my thoughts are different. I would never fill a knot hole on the belly side, at least not with epoxi. Epoxi is a pretty stiff material, not made for compression. On the belly a stiff material causes the surrounding wood to compress even more, on osage perhaps no problem but sure with BL.

Why not let the hole be a hole - it adds nice character and looks much better than plastic with sawdust.

[bradsmith2010]

the stave is osage,, either way will work,,

[PEARL DRUMS]

Id ignore it and build the bow as if it wasn't there, it would all bend the same. Its small, its solid and its osage.

[Parnell]

I did one just like you are asking about.  I left "a little island" of the last growth ring around the knot on the back and didn't touch it with anything else.  Bow shoots fine and is very healthy.  I wouldn't worry about it, either.

[occupant]

I guess I should elaborate on the heated epoxy. I have used it on osage and elm without a problem, these are the predominate woods I use.

[Tommytinker]

Thank you for all the advice! After all that, I've managed to avoid the knot all together while roughing the bow out.