Well... CRAP!! (B.L.)

[Stringman]

Murphy strikes again. I was rolling along on this black locust bow. Gave it plenty of time to dry after roughing it out, recently started on it again and flipped the tips, started shaving it down today and tryin to get it to bending... then pop! SOOO, wonder what the popular opinoin is on here? Super glue and sinew wrap, or should I shave it down first to reduce the draw weight before wrapping? It's still pretty stout right now. I believe I could also take an entire growth ring off without killing the bow (not my favorite option.) I have several backing choices, if it comes to that. I really like the cat eye knot on the back so I would rather not cover it up if I could avoid it.

So shoot em at me. What's the highest percentage strategy to save the bow. And please no negativity,    I'm trying to stay optimistic.

[Stringman]

The crack is in the last 2 pics. It is about 2 inches above the fade, right at the beginning of the bending section. If I do wrap it I will probably do both sides to make it match.

[Pat B]

Is that a little irregularity in the wood?  I'd take it down to the next ring if there is enough wood.

[Stringman]

Yes there is a slight irregularity there (smaller version of the "cat eye) and it is right on the edge (not what I intended.) I was hopeful that it wouldn't be an issue. My fear is that if I take it down another growth ring the same issues will appear. What would be wrong with wrapping it? Too much pressure?!?

[Buckeye Guy]

You said you have some weight to give up so I wonder if you can trap the back in that area and side tiller it there to get rid of the problem spot !
I'm not sure how much you would need to go vs how much weight you have to give up
Just a thought !
Guy

[crooketarrow]

  i

[crooketarrow]

 I'd also take it down but leave the wood around the cat eye you'd like to keep.

[George Tsoukalas]

So looks like you have 2 breaks...one on the edge and I see a line on that eye thingy. That's a pretty aggressive recurve for a wood with some imperfections. Tailor the bow to the wood. Let the wood do the talking. I know what i'd do with that stave. Got plenty out in the garden. LOL. That's how you learn. If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin'. Jawge

[Stringman]

No there's only one break. It is just above the the cat eye knot.

George, are you saying i should "unflip" the tips?

B.G. I dont have enough room to take it down on the sides.

Sounds like maybe the better option is taking off another ring. Hopefully, after that it will be light enough in draw weight I wont have any more problems with tension cracks... Does rawhide or a thick snake skin work well on black locust?

[CherokeeKC]

snake skin is only used for appearance value not to add structural integrity to the bow. 

[sonny]

are those tool marks in the back ??

[Stringman]

No, Sonny. That is the grain of the wood. It is actually pretty smooth as i had sanded it a little by  that point. Not perfect, mind ya, but smooth. That look is typical of the BL that grows around here.

[Marc St Louis]

Glue it down then wrap it.  Just make sure your wrap is nice and tight

[Shaun]

The other bigger "cat eye" or whatever it is is scary! It appears to violate the top ring for most of the width of the back and is just above the fade in the most pressure area. If you have enough weight to give, take it down another ring. It looks like the next ring down is solid across that blemish. Or tiller so it does not bend in that area.

[iowabow]

I am asking the experts here the following.  Could he round the corners and remover the split? I think it might be called trapping the back.  I have only built 5 bows so I don't know how to fix it.