Some small cracks showing up in finish... Chrysals Maybe???? (solved I think!!)

[Pat B]

Ifrit, I would suggest that you remove the finish from the belly and shoot the bow some then feel the surface and also hold it between you and a good light source(sun works best) to see if you can see any of the "lines" in the wood itself. If not go ahead and add 4 or 5 thin coats of Tru-Oil to finish it off. Then shoot it a bunch more and see if the "lines" come back. You need to know if it is only in the finish or also in the wood.

[Ifrit617]

Pat, I might do just that but it seems kinda pointless since if these were in the wood there wouldn't be anything that I could do about it anyways... Plus I'd be using more tru oil... None of these marks appeared on the wood before finishing after about 150-200 shots and with the stain it would be hard to tell if they were there now or not...  But if I get some free time soon I might as well... Thanks for all the help..

[crooketarrow]

  Those cracks arn't diagonal. If your really like they cracks are raised then I say it is because of unfinsfhed layers and they raise up when drawed.

[Ifrit617]

Crooketarrow- by diagonal i mean that they don't run horizontally across the limb and are slanted whey which way.... Also I'm not entirely sure what you are trying to say... Can you clarify?

[George Tsoukalas]

Scot, those are chrysals. They happen because the bow is bending too much in that spot. They can be forestalled (the bow eventually will fold up on itself) by leaving the chrysals alone and removing wood from above and below. If the chrysals are on the whole limb the design is off...too narrow or too short. Been thre. Done that. Oh..another easy fix is to glue rawhide over the chrysals on the belly but only of they are localized. Jawge

[George Tsoukalas]

Sorry, Ifr, those are mostly likely chrysals. Jawge

[Gordon]

working limb is 14" long

That's not much working limb. I agree with George, those are most likely chrysals.

[crooketarrow]

   George maybe right but there not like  chrysals I've seen.
 What I think has happen and this likely wrong but as you added layers you did'nt let them completely dry.
  I'm saying this because you said you could feel a slight rise in them. With the under layers not completely dry as you drew the bow at these stress points your finish buncked up. Makeing the cracks feelable (RAISED UP).
  GEORGE I've only ever been able to see chrysals never been able to feel them raised up. But I've only seen them a couple times never really studyed them. SORRY ABOUT NOT WRITEING TO CLEAR ON THE OTHER POST. Likely a mental lasp. I get these all the time.

[Ifrit617]

Thanks for clarifying crooketarrow... You may be right and I hope you are... Anyways since they are appearing on most of the limb, I will just continue to shoot this bow, either until it fails or hopefully survives... Who knows... Anyways thanks for all the help...

Jon