With only the top limb doing any bending, it's amazing that bow even held together. Quite shocking, really.
thats why i want to try a properly designed bow, it seems like tupelo is almost bullet proof, but from what i have heard, splitting it into staves is a nightmare,

i may just have to go for another sapling, or if i can, saw it
its so tuff that one of the many seriously violated knots, split and started to peel, and all i had to do to stabilize it was wrap it with epoxy soaked cloth
noel