First Ocean Spray bow lifts a splinter

[Dan K]

I found a near perfect Ocean Spray's stave this last summer. I rought it out and cut a relief in the belly to avoid checking. It worked. I waited for the moisture to drop bellow 10% before cutting the profile. Dimensions are 1 3/8" at fades. 1" mid limb. 1/2" tips. It will have a 1" bulbous static handle. 68" ttt and 66" ntn. Hope to end up at 62#@28"


After working it short braced, it was bending nicely and adjusting to a slight hinge in the bottom limb (right)


After hearing a "pop" I found this


I flooded with CA but now want to know what the best approach is for saving the stave. I have sinew but don't want to waste it if its a lost cause. Any suggestions is appreciated.

[JW_Halverson]

Sinew wrap, let it cure out really well, seal with thin superglue.  Once you work up the nerve to continue tillering, let that section stay a little stiff.  Good luck, I would love to see this one finished and entered for Bow of the Month.

Good luck with this one, brother

[Zion]

Did the crack happen at the hinge in the right limb? The only time i've had OS crack is when the wood was rotten.

[Bryce]

Rawhide patch. Works wonders.

[wood_bandit 99]

I fixed the same type thing with artificial sinew wrapped on it and some titebond! I am sure sinew will be enough!

[aaron]

are my eyes decieving me? that looks like a splinter on the belly. Is that the back?

[Weylin]

looks like the belly to me too. If there's a splinter on the belly you have a LOT less to worry about than one on the back. That thing may not have even been the sound you heard.

[Badger]

 That hinge is pretty severe, you may have to beef it up with something before continuing.

[Dan K]

Thanks JW I was thinking the same thing.

It's on the back. It's a one and a half inch round stave and a pretty flat back.

The splinter lifted right at the hinge. The hinge is gone now. Unfortunately I can't take a current picture because I don't want to bend the limb. I was really happy with the way it was bending on both sides and was flexing the limbs when the splinter lifted.  If I can overcome this splinter this is going to be a serious bow.

[PatM]

Is the back violated? It looks almost decrowned.

[Gordon]

Fix the hinge, then patch with rawhide and wrap it.

[steve b.]

Dan, I still don't understand how we are seeing the grain of the wood on the back without it being decrowned but if you say its the back then its the back.

Because I had the same thing happen to a decrowned OS that was rawhide backed.  The rawhide didn't stick in that area and the splinter lifted.  Looked just like that.
I'm sure you remember since it was you who pulled the bow when the splinter lifted?

Anyway,  I would have CA'd it, clamped it so that the splinter was imperceptible when lightly sanded, and sinew wrapped  it in two or three places (before, during, and after) with a matching set on the other limb.  Capish?

It  WILL be awesome.

[Dan K]

Correction, this splinter is on the opposite limb from the hinge. She was pulling 65# at 10" when I took the braced pic. I corrected the hinge and burnished the back to help prevent any more splinters.

No PatM the back is not violated nor decrowned. Just a good sized Ocean Spray.

I sinew wrapped it and letting it dry. Should I soke it with CA or hide glue?

[Dan K]

Thank you all for your help!

Steve -all I did was debark and lightly sand off the cambium. Is this decrowning?  I've never decrowned a bow so maybe I did without knowing.

[steve b.]

No, you are right, Dan, I guess what I just realized is that I so rarely see any grain on OS, especially the back, because I don't finish the back so well.  I was working my big OS lever bow tonight and noting how there's, no grain, except in some spots on the belly. 

So I'm not sure why the splinter lifted.  Seems odd for such a short pull.  Did you maybe sand too deep?