Can this be saved???

[Danzn Bar]

This was my first attempt at an unbacked static recure.  The specs: 66" ntn, 51# @ 28" osage (flat belly).  The rings are very thin. I first noticed a small splinter/crack after about 375 arrrows.  The crack was about 3/8" long across the bottom limb and splintered about 1/2" both ways up & down the limb right in the center.  At that time I did a B50 wrap soaked in superglue patch covering the splinter.  Shot the bow another 25 times and the splinter continued up the limb towards the handle about 1". So I marked the crack with pencil to see if it moved.  Shot the bow another 25 times and nothing happened, so I thought my patch was good.  Went to a 3D shoot and the 9th target I heard a loud pop and the crack/splinter moved down the bottom limb about 5 inches.
I'm thinking of removing the B50 patch and supergluing / clamping down the splinter, backing with rawhide.  My question is:  Should I put the wrap back over the splinter after backing with rawhide?  If so, how many places and how long of wrap over the now 6 1/2" long splinter?
I'm trying to post some pictures but I think the files are too big.  I'm not much with computers.  Hopefully, you guys can help me with my discription while I figure out how to post pictures.
Thanx   
Any help is appreciated,
DB

[SLIMBOB]

I can't tell from your question if the crack runs with the grain (length wise) or across the grain.  With the grain, many times is no problem.  Friend of mine has a bow he made 15 years ago, and the limb is split into form the tip, about 3/4 the length of the limb.  Still shoots.  As long as it does not run off the side, it may not cause a problem.  Across the grain, or running off the side of the limb, bad news!  Probably fatal.

[DarkSoul]

Upload a picture on http://www.tinypic.com and follow the process provided on the site.

Is the splinter on the back of the bow? And is it in the center of the limb, width wise? Or does it wander off the side? A splinter 6½" long is very long. If it's just a thin sliver, a backing might hold it in place. But if the splinter is bigger, no backing might be enough...hard to say without picture.

[Danzn Bar]

I finally got some pictures.  The bottom limb is to the right.  As you can see the splinter is down the middle on the back of the bow.  What do you guy think??  Firewood ?  I sure hope not.
DB 

[Danzn Bar]

I've got one other picture.  I'm a rooky at this stuff but I'm getting the hang of it.  This is the full draw before the big POP.   I put the B50 patch on the top limb just for looks.  I'm really in love with this bow but I'm ready to start another.  But I sure would like to fix this one.  The full draw pic might show my mistake, I see a little flat spot in the bottom limb at the splinter.  I'm canting the bow a little so it looks like there may be a little twist in the bottom limb too.  Sure would like to hear any comments good or bad.  I'm in the learning stage and can't soak up enought.
Thanks again

[Pat B]

Those look like checks, drying cracks. As long as they don't run off the bow they are following the grain and basically a cosmetic problem. I don't see a splinter in the pic. Is it under the wrap?
  Very cool bow by the way. Great tiller! 

[Badger]

  I agree with Pat, nice bow I can see why you want to fix it. Very seldom do I bother to patch one but I think this bow is worth saving. Try running thin super glue into the crack when the bow is unbraced, or brace it put in the glue then unbrace it.

[toomanyknots]

That is a very nice bow. Great tiller and great recurves, that is a beautiful job you did! But those cracks are weird. If you heard a loud pop all of a sudden and the crack got alot bigger, even if it started as a check, it is in my opinion a problem that should be addressed. A bow that is made from a piece of wood with an already existing crack/check is one thing, but a bow that is making loud sounds and cracking down the bow is another thing. Bows can be unpredictable, and so can the way grain runs under the surface. I wouldn't chance it, especially on a such a nice bow, when there are very effective means to prevent the possibility that it might get worse or run deeper, run off the grain, etc. A thin one layer sinew backing or a thin rawhide backing (the entire bow up to the recurves) would more than likely keep your bow from breaking if that might happen due to these cracks. I would add, on top of the backing, a sinew or string wrapping in the middle of the crack to be sure. Sinew will in my opinion only improve your bows performance, on top of protecting the bow from any possible tension failure. Thats my 2 cents.

[arklowrebel]

Stunning looking bow Danzn.  Hope it all works out.

[Dean Marlow]

I am like everybody else. That is a heck of a bow. If it was mine I would get a bottle of Titebond III glue and size the back of it and put a strip of silk on it. I use silk all the time and is a wonderful backing. Silk will not add hardly any weight but is really tough. Dean

[dwardo]

Great looking bow, I too would vote for silk. Easy to apply and strong as string stuff.

[Danzn Bar]

Wow............I really appreciate the feed back and compliments.

Pat B - I don't think it is a drying check, yes it is following the grain.  And yes your right it is under the wrap on the back of the bow.  I had time to remove the wrap and the splinter stayed down.  It was hard to see.  So, I sketched where the splinter lifted.
Badger - I think that might work running the glue in at brace.
toomany - I have some thin goat rawhide that I might try to back it with.  I have Titebond II that I was going to use.  Would that work? The stave I started with was about 36 rpi.  Now I realize I should have backed it with silk, linen or rawhide from the beginning.

The last pic I'm trying to show how high of a crown (I think I'm using the correct term) the back has at the crack/splinter. I hope I'm using the correct terminology. Could this along with the thin rings be the culprit??  I thought it might have been my tillering job until all of the good tiller comments.

Again, Thanx for all of your encouragement, more comments welcome.
DB

[Danzn Bar]

This doesn't have anything to do with the crack.  I just thought I would post a few more pics of the bow.  The darker wood in the handle is Madagascar ebony.  Boy is it an oily wood. Had to size the glue joint with superglue after wiping it down with acetone then used TB II for the joint.  That stuff is hard to bend too.  When I heated it up to use it for the static part of the tips the oil just ooze out of the grain.  So I made the static tips from walnut and the tip over lays are walnut and deer antler.
Again THANKS
DB

[SLIMBOB]

I think toomanyknots is right.  Weird looking cracks, great looking bow.  Super glue it, rawhide back it, then sinew wrap over the rawhide around the center of the cracks.  The popping sound would indicate some degree of torque at play would be my guess. 

[Pappy]

Hope it works out,that is one beauty of a bow. I am like Steve I don't do a lot of repairs but that one is well worth the effort. Good luck.
   Pappy