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Selfbow break
Sad night. my osage bow broke at the handle. NOt sure how, but I heard the tick last. Wasn't meant to be
Oh well, have to make a better one this week at the baltimore trad classic.:D http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/nn73/bigcountry_ky/OsageBow/ |
RE: Selfbow break
Dang that sucks man! Atleast now you have an excuse to make a new one!:D
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RE: Selfbow break
That had to hurt aye'..... thats a Bummer BC, at least you get another chance to make one!
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RE: Selfbow break
Yea, I was a little sad last night. I was told this bow was sinewed under the snake skin, and kinda surprised it would crack near the grip. I wonder if a skillful man could plane down the grip area and not disturb the growth rings that run the entire bow ( it didn't crack in the growth rings that the limbs are made of), and glue on a new grip, and rasp down to match. Maybe push the fade outs little out to strengthen things.
Or just make it into a working handle bow. It would be lighter however. |
RE: Selfbow break
ORIGINAL: bigcountry Yea, I was a little sad last night. I was told this bow was sinewed under the snake skin, and kinda surprised it would crack near the grip. I wonder if a skillful man could plane down the grip area and not disturb the growth rings that run the entire bow ( it didn't crack in the growth rings that the limbs are made of), and glue on a new grip, and rasp down to match. Maybe push the fade outs little out to strengthen things. Or just make it into a working handle bow. It would be lighter however. |
RE: Selfbow break
BC, that crack is actually in what is essentially a non-working area of the bow, so I think it's not that big of a problem. What I'd do, if it was me, is this:
1: Take some liquid super glue and try to get some to seep down into the crack. 2: If not, coat the area with epoxy and wrap it tightly with heavy thread, color of your choice. Upholstery thread is what I'd recommend. Just one or two layers should be plenty. Finish the wrap just like you're serving a string to make it look nice. Just make sure to keep the wraps tight. From the photos, I can tell you'll have to remove your leather plate in order to wrap it right. If you've got access to sinew and hide glue, that'd work too. 3: Coat the wrapping with polyurethane to finish. 4: To make the wrap look like a decorative feature instead of a repair, measure down the same distance from the center of the bow and put another wrap there. Epoxy, wrap, poly, just like on the actual repair. I've done this repair even in working areas of limbs and had it hold for a long time, so it should do just fine right there next to the grip. |
RE: Selfbow break
sounds good....but if it were me id put it on the wallas decorationand officially retire it.
Wood is a funny thing....if its not seasoned or cut properly all sorts of things can go wrong....even then it has to be the right peice cut of wood in the raw material stage.....especially in something like a bow could be something in the design of the bow that caused the crack too. selecting the right peice of wood is an art all in its own. thats too bad BC looks like a cool bow to shoot. |
RE: Selfbow break
Arthur, I have this feeling when I take off that leather wrap, there's a big knot in it. Because everytime I pull back slightly, I hear crackling. I bet the back is broken under it. I just can't figure how how it broke in this area? When I bought it, they guy I got it off of, said, the leather handle wrap was look so they had to glue it down with barge. Now, nothing wrong with gluwing it down, but thought it was strange to let me know it.
If I see the back or rings are not broke, I might try your fix. |
RE: Selfbow break
The bow might also be made with spliced billets instead of a single stave, and the leather grip could be covering up the splice. Rarely a problem if the splice is done properly, but....[&:] If it is spliced, the glue in the splice might be giving way. That could cause the crackling and it could even have caused the crack to form.
Still, it just looks like a simple compression fracture to me. Only way to know for sure what you've got is to peel off the leather and take a look. That's why I always liked making my own. I know for sure what I've got in my hand. And I have to agree with Alpha Capo. Some pieces of wood just never want to be a bow and, if you force them into it, they'll quit just as soon as they can. But I'd still try and fix it once. If it fails again, you'll know it's a lost cause. |
RE: Selfbow break
Ok, thanks for the advise. A guy on Tradgang suggested I get the bow to the single growth rings running up the limbs and add layers of Osage and fill in the shelf with some wood. But that sounds little tough.
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RE: Selfbow break
Yeah, I think that's a bit much too, kinda like swatting a fly with a sledgehammer. Maybe that's something you could try as a last resort. You might consider wrapping the entire handle area with thread, from just above the crack all the way down to the same distance below the grip. Then stick on your shelf plate and leather handle over the wrappings. I did that on a board bow that kept popping off the wood I'd glued onto it to build up the handle area. I used 50-lb test braided dacron trolling line for that, and it never budged again.;)
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RE: Selfbow break
ORIGINAL: Arthur P BC, that crack is actually in what is essentially a non-working area of the bow, so I think it's not that big of a problem. What I'd do, if it was me, is this: 1: Take some liquid super glue and try to get some to seep down into the crack. 2: If not, coat the area with epoxy and wrap it tightly with heavy thread, color of your choice. Upholstery thread is what I'd recommend. Just one or two layers should be plenty. Finish the wrap just like you're serving a string to make it look nice. Just make sure to keep the wraps tight. From the photos, I can tell you'll have to remove your leather plate in order to wrap it right. If you've got access to sinew and hide glue, that'd work too. 3: Coat the wrapping with polyurethane to finish. 4: To make the wrap look like a decorative feature instead of a repair, measure down the same distance from the center of the bow and put another wrap there. Epoxy, wrap, poly, just like on the actual repair. I've done this repair even in working areas of limbs and had it hold for a long time, so it should do just fine right there next to the grip. |
RE: Selfbow break
I was going to wrap with some string material like 450. Think that would be a bad idea? If you guys notice the shelf material is sinew. Should I cut that out or just wrap over top of it.
I am thinking wrapping the whole grip area to make it look decent. But haven't made up my mind. I was looking more at this, and notice that crack is in a very weak area.  |
RE: Selfbow break
The shelf mat'l is sinew?? First time I've heard of using sinew for that.[:-] Somebody must've had more sinew than he needed to use it like that. But that's beside the point.
If it's sinew, I'd leave it be and wrap over the top of it. Most string making mat'ls are coated with wax. If you intend to use it, then get as much of the wax off as you can before using it. Upholstery thread - any fabric store will have it - or braided dacron fishing line will do both a good job and you won't have to worry about wax. Just be aware that wrapping over the sinew and then applying another shelf covering will change your degree of centershot. In that pic there, it looks like that sight window is cut practically to center anyway. I don't like to critique other's bows, but I think that's cut way too deep. Probably what weakened it in the first place. |
RE: Selfbow break
Yep, watch for wax. If its string material, it will be pre waxed. You might useraw hideto wrap it. You can get a dog bone, soak it, untwist it. Let it dry and pound it into fibers that you could wrap it with. Ive seen some cool wraps done this way. Hemp cord is good to wrap with as well and adds to the traditional look.
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RE: Selfbow break
ORIGINAL: Arthur P The shelf mat'l is sinew?? First time I've heard of using sinew for that.[:-] Somebody must've had more sinew than he needed to use it like that. But that's beside the point. If it's sinew, I'd leave it be and wrap over the top of it. Most string making mat'ls are coated with wax. If you intend to use it, then get as much of the wax off as you can before using it. Upholstery thread - any fabric store will have it - or braided dacron fishing line will do both a good job and you won't have to worry about wax. Just be aware that wrapping over the sinew and then applying another shelf covering will change your degree of centershot. In that pic there, it looks like that sight window is cut practically to center anyway. I don't like to critique other's bows, but I think that's cut way too deep. Probably what weakened it in the first place. It is sorta close to centershot. Glad I asked about the material. Never thought of the wax. |
RE: Selfbow break
I have yet to cut a shelf into any of my selfbows. It probably helps getting used to shooting them but I have gotten used to no cut in shelf.
Anyway. I agree the shelf cut in was my first thought about why it happened. But I agree with Arther I would wrap it. I would suggest sinew if you can. It shrinks some as it dries so it gets tighter as it tries. But other materials work too. Good luck |
RE: Selfbow break
Well, good news keeps rollin in. I got ahold of the bowyer who made this bow. The guy is kind beyond words. He told me to send it back. He wants to wrap area with a butt load of sinew, then he wants to take elk horn and smooth it down and reinforce the front 6-8" (kinda like morrison bows). He feels so bad about the break, he is sending me a 70" yew stave, snake skins, and elk hoof to put tips on my new osage bow.
And I am not saying he is a good guy because he is sending me free stuff, but he gave me some excellent tips on my bowmaking |
RE: Selfbow break
It's hard to get folks any better, more friendly or more helpful than the traditional crowd, but I do believe the primitive crowd has done it. :)
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RE: Selfbow break
ORIGINAL: Arthur P It's hard to get folks any better, more friendly or more helpful than the traditional crowd, but I do believe the primitive crowd has done it. :) |
RE: Selfbow break
ORIGINAL: bigcountry Well, good news keeps rollin in. I got ahold of the bowyer who made this bow. The guy is kind beyond words. He told me to send it back. He wants to wrap area with a butt load of sinew, then he wants to take elk horn and smooth it down and reinforce the front 6-8" (kinda like morrison bows). He feels so bad about the break, he is sending me a 70" yew stave, snake skins, and elk hoof to put tips on my new osage bow. And I am not saying he is a good guy because he is sending me free stuff, but he gave me some excellent tips on my bowmaking |
RE: Selfbow break
ORIGINAL: burniegoeasily ORIGINAL: bigcountry Well, good news keeps rollin in. I got ahold of the bowyer who made this bow. The guy is kind beyond words. He told me to send it back. He wants to wrap area with a butt load of sinew, then he wants to take elk horn and smooth it down and reinforce the front 6-8" (kinda like morrison bows). He feels so bad about the break, he is sending me a 70" yew stave, snake skins, and elk hoof to put tips on my new osage bow. And I am not saying he is a good guy because he is sending me free stuff, but he gave me some excellent tips on my bowmaking |
RE: Selfbow break
I have only worked with yew lams and found them a bit hard to grind. Yew is a gold mine so I dont see it. The two tappered lams I made were from a messed up yew board and the only time ive ever used yew. I found them hard to grind, haveing to take it real slow with very shallow cuts.They made some of the best lams ive ever had. It might have been me. It is so expensive, i got nervous working with it and did not want to mess it up.
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RE: Selfbow break
Oh yea, it is easier to work with than osage, so you mightnot mind working with yew. Osage can be a booger to cut sometimes.A wood that is even harder to work with, but makes a great bow, is Ipe (Brazilian walnut)
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RE: Selfbow break
A wood that is even harder to work with, but makes a great bow, is Ipe (Brazilian walnut) BC.....After working on that osage bow, you'll find yew a dream to work with.:) Just wear a good dust mask if you're going to be creating any fine saw dust. It can be a bugger on the lungs. |
RE: Selfbow break
that suxs and im sry for a bow that nice to break.
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RE: Selfbow break
Mark, you've outdone yourself. Nice lookin' bow :)
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