Lifted a splinter on a bow

[eastcreekarchery]

I heard a tick...lifted a splinter on the back of a hackberry bow I'm working on. I think the draw was a little too heavy for the bow limb. I sanded the splinter out and had to go down to the growth ring below. I sanded it smooth and no splinters have lifted yet. The exposed growth ring area is small so I think it might be ok. I know it would be fine with a hickory bow but I'm not sure hackberry has that reputation. I'll burnish the spot as well. I also made the limb that lifted the splinter the lower limb since it won't bend as much as the upper limb (is that correct?). Do you folks think this is a good fix? I can post pictures later tonight. Thanks!

[eastcreekarchery]

I should mention its a symmetrical bow thats why i feel I could switch the upper and lower limbs

[Digital Caveman]

If it lifted a splinter there before I would make sure that whatever caused it has been fixed, especially as you now have a compromised ring there now.  I would reduce the weight appropriately, make sure there is no hinge in that spot, and keep an eye on it.  If there is any more trouble try a sinew or linen patch.

[eastcreekarchery]

I reduced the weight and retillered the bow. Its bending evenly with no hinges.

[Digital Caveman]

I wouldn't worry to much about it then; I'd just keep an eye on it.  The little I've heard about hackberry is that it's like elm.  (I'm trying to sound like an expert, but I probably haven't made as may bows as you have, probably haven't broken as many either )

[eastcreekarchery]

I wouldn't worry to much about it then; I'd just keep an eye on it.  The little I've heard about hackberry is that it's like elm.  (I'm trying to sound like an expert, but I probably haven't made as may bows as you have, probably haven't broken as many either )

I'll keep both eyes on it. This is my third bow so I doubt that 

[Morgan]

If I’m understanding what you did right, you just worked down the area where the splinter lifted leaving a circle or other shape where there is a step on growth rings? If that is the case, I would not trust it. I’ve had only two tension failures out of a bunch of hackberry bows. One was a ding mid limb in the outer ring where I dug in too deep removing the bark. This ding did not sever the outer ring completely and I sanded it smooth and burnished it. It failed there. The other failure was a bad spot in the wood from fungus or something. Wasn’t much of a spot, maybe big around as an eraser but the wood was soft and gritty there and it failed. If you want to have peace of mind, back it or patch it.

[Fox]

I’d just wrap that area with sinew or some other fiber. Probly wouldn’t trust a violated ring... I’ve never worked hackberry though.

-Fox

[eastcreekarchery]

I was thinking maybe putting superglue or wood glue along the edges of the exposed ring to keep the splinters down and secured. Otherwise i think a backing would work. Maybe an artificial snakeskin that ive been meaning to try...

[bradsmith2010]

please just wrap as suggested,,

[Deerhunter21]

I suggest a rawhide bandaid... seems like overkill but you only need like a 1" strip stretched tightly all the way around. doesnt need to even press down the whole splinter, just has to lever it down but your best bet for is to cover it completely.

[eastcreekarchery]

So ive taken a closer look at the bow and i think that the splinter lifted only from the cambium layer that was left on the back of the bow. Maybe the cambium cracked? It looks like a thin growth ring just made of wood thats not as hard and a different color.

[Morgan]

That is probably cambium. It will look almost like light brown paper sack on hackberry,  it’s the layer right under the hard orange crumbly layer.  It can be paper thin or quite thick. If the back was covered in it, sand it or scrape it off. A little here and there in recesses won’t hurt, but the cambium will fail and can take a chunk of your back with it. If the splinter didn’t go down into the back ring, you are safe. The back ring will be a pale yellow to very white, definitely contrasts to the cambium.