Clint, I'm impressed that you bent it there without darkening the wood at all.
Did you steam it?? Nice work!
I went out to the shop this afternoon after spraying the new osage for bugs. Took a look at a couple staves. I started with the crooked one I've been trying to give to JW, but he won't take it.
It didn't speak to me so I spotted one of my few remaining seasoned staves with a big wind check so I finished the belly split. It had too many wind checks so I knocked off another belly split. This one looks pretty good, though crooked.
This split so well that if it weren't for a wind check at one end I could have used the new back as is. It's a wide stave at 2 and a half inches and I toyed with band sawing it in half to get 2 staves. But, I just don't trust a few little checks not to be so deep they'd ruin one or both staves so I'm not gonna be greedy. Not a particularly long stave, the bow will be around 60" long. One end is sharply recurved already so it'll be a recurve with wider limbs than I normally build. I was an hour late to watch the super bowl playing with wood. If the game weren't on I'd have it already laid out and draw knife'd to shape. Of course, I primarily care about the commercials.
George
