check in belly of stave- quit work on that one?

[richpierce]

I have a couple of staves of black locust I split from a 8" diameter tree felled at a powerline cut.  I peeled the bark then painted ends and back, waited a while, began getting rid of sapwood.  Meanwhile the belly of the better stave checked a little in the handle area and into the fades.  The stave still is too thick but I think this check will remain.  It does not go to the back, yet, and the back is fine.  Should I turn it into firewood or continue to work on it?

It has knots and some borer damage in the handle area.  Character bow if I save it.

[snedeker]

how thick is the piece there and how deep does the check go?

Dave

[richpierce]

At the handle it's about 1.5" thick, in the fades that I am roughing out, about 3/4" to 7/8" thick (total thickness in middle, back is domed of course).

[George Tsoukalas]

A check in the handle area, which doesn't bend anyway unless you want it too, should not matter much. Pioctures would be nice. Jawge