fast flight

[PatM]

I've always wondered what the grain orientation was on that bow Jawge.
 I've also wondered what you will do when a bow strung with B50 splits, would that be the end for you?

[George Tsoukalas]

Pat, I repaired that bow. Glued it up and put on an overlay.  It came from a red oak log stave...not a board. Don't know how many board bows. Lots. I know how to read grain
I've made a good 200 bows or more. Haven't split a nock with B 50.

See ... told ya. My fault.  I knew it!

Just having fun. Could care less what everyone uses for string material.

Jawge

[PEARL DRUMS]

Jawgey what aspect of FF do you suppose caused the crack at your tip? This is real and not rhetorical.

[bubby]

I actually had a b50 string split a self nick on a boo backed bow  a long 
Time ago, I don't know if it was my fault I just fixed it and moved on, now I've moved  on to ff with no problems

[George Tsoukalas]

PD, I think the loop was too thin and needed beefing up with B 50. The string was given to me .
I also think that overlays are needed for most whitewoods including red oak.
Jawge

[PEARL DRUMS]

If I had to guess, Id guess thin loops myself. I used to pad all mine. Now that I overlay 99% of my bows, and use mostly buffalo horn, I never pad them.

[PatM]

I was merely thinking that an edge ring or close to edge ring board with the nock grooves corresponding with the pithy early growth would be a sure recipe for a split.
 That wouldn't even mean that the grain was "bad".

[George Tsoukalas]

No problem, Pat. LOL. Better now. Had my nap. The world seems so much nicer now.
I may even get a spool of that stuff for myself.

Jawge

[Marc St Louis]

One thing that will affect the amount of pressure the string puts on the nock is the brace height.  A low brace height puts a lot of pressure on the nocks

[bow101]

Ocean spray is hard as a rock, lovely wood. Sugar maple, not so much. I guess my "hard"wood category is just smaller than most.

Ok then.........funny one..     actually some of the Hard maple I find very close to harness with OS.  I have some Choke cherry and its comparable to most. Think I'll use it for tip overlays.

[Gordon]

I use FF for all my bows. I always put overlays on bows made from soft woods like hazelnut, yew, and cascara. The trick to making self nocks that don't split is starting off the string grove almost perpendicular to the back and then curving it around. Angling the groves immediately from the back will result in thin shoulders that are prone to splitting.

[mikekeswick]

Another thing that is just as important a consideration is the design of the bow. The shorter the working limbs the more likely fastflight would be to damage the nocks.
Also what do most people make their overlays out of??

95% are buff horn or ipe. flat sawn Osage on occasion as well.

Have you ever tried to split ipe? Sure it's hard but it splits very, very easily....flat sawn osage could do the same between rings. I've had self osage tips break.
As has been said there are various things at play....it's not just the material you use it's how that material is used in CONJUNCTION with the design of the bow.

[medicinewheel]

... The trick to making self nocks that don't split is starting off the string grove almost perpendicular to the back and then curving it around. Angling the groves immediately from the back will result in thin shoulders that are prone to splitting.

Very important point (be it with or without overlays)!
For me FF ever since I used it the first time.
And overlays on all bows. Why take a risk???

[Pappy]

I see we are still at it. Good point Gordon on the nocks.
   Pappy