Back blow-out???

[snag]

I have been heat treating an osage bow to straighten the limbs and take a propeller twist out of one end. As I was doing this the other day I heard a kind of pop. After inspecting the back there is about an 1" long X 1/16"wide splinter that came off the back. It's not down to the next ring but I'm worried that it is a potential problem area now. Do I have to back this bow now? Or can I just put some superglue in there and be ok? It is really pretty shallow.  Oh, also I toasted the wood a little. This was my first time at this. I used oil but I didn't reapply it enough I guess.  Thanks, David

[Pat B]

David, you have a few options but if it is thick enough I'd remove that ring in favor of the one below it. If that isn't an option I'd super glue and clamp the splinter and add a wrap or rawhide backing.
  Did yoy allow enough time after heating the wood for it to rehydrate?

[snag]

Thanks PatB. Yes, I heated it and then went ahead and clamped it to the caul to straighten the limb. I figured the blow out had already occurred so I went ahead with the straightening. Then I left it clamped all day while at work. I think if I take it down to the next ring it will leave the limbs too thin and I won't be able to hit my weight. By the way I couldn't find the small piece of wood that came off the back. Could I use sinew instead of the rawhide? If I can do I rough up the back with a file before proceeding with the sinew? I've done this either! It's all a trial and error situation for me.

[Pat B]

Sinew should work fine. Yes, rough the back up and gdegrease before adding the sinew.
  Why did a piece come off anyway? If you had a good clean back ring it shouldn't have happened.

[snag]

I was totally surprised when it happened. I have no idea how or why it happened. I had the bow on my workbench clamped on the caul and was heating it when I heard a "pop" noise. Couldn't figure out what happened and just kept on doing what I was doing. After taking the bow off the caul the next day I noticed this little area on the back where some wood had come off. 

[Pat B]

Would you have a pic of it?

[Gordon]

If it wasn't a tension splinter then you may be able to fix it by filling the void with a combination of superglue and fine sawdust. Then put a rawhide patch over it and wrap it. I did that once with osage that had had some worm damage on the back and it worked perfectly.

[dwardo]

  Did yoy allow enough time after heating the wood for it to rehydrate?

I wish someone had of told me this about 6 months ago before i put a crack in the back of a lovely wych elm paddle bow
Good luck with the fix.

[snag]

That sounds like a good way to deal with it Gordon.

PatB, here is a picture of the area. It is around some pin knots. Do you think I could narrow this area by filing it and thus removing the outer area that was affected?

[Pat B]

If it is just these small tear outs and they don't go any deeper I'd add super glue and back the bow with rawhide, silk or linen.
  It doesn't look as bad as it sounded. 

[snag]

Oh good! It's just that it was soooo purdy and smooth until this...

[Pat B]

Stuff happens. Checking for grain violationa or grain swirls arounf knots on the back can prevent these little surprises but sometimes they jusy happen with no indication.