Hazelnut bow fixing - help please

[GlisGlis]

Hello primitive fellows
First of all best compliments for this very interesting and helpful site I've been lurking for some time.
This summer i went to Otzi Museum and my allready twisted mind bowed up. I guess you know what i mean 
To make a long story short i started an Hazelnut bow project. (picture attached)
The wood come from a sapling 4,5 cm /  1.8 inch diameter left to dry for about 1 month.
All the process was made without power toos.
Debarked with a stone, then given a first shape with an axe and then used a file to fine tune and tiller.
As the process went on i cant resist to dye the bow with some hickory die.
Bow length knock to knock is 164 cm / 64 inch with a handle of approx 22 cm / 8.6 inch
At 192cm / 75 inch I'm pretty tall and with a draw of 80cm /31 inch i made it.
In the last phase of tillering i tried a too long draw and the bow cracked.
All started at the little knot marked with a blue arrow and was suddendly followed by the fissures marked with red arrows.
Analizing my crafting process i found 2 main fault. I probably overdried (or dried too fast) the wood lefting it in the sun for some day and probably tried to curve it too early while tillering. All experience for the nex one.

Now i'd really like to ear from you that the kite is not wood for fire and i can fix it 
I'd also like to repair it with primitive tools so please dont suggest epoxy or similar.
At present I can find linen (for backing?), hide glue, linen thread and agave fibers (possible to use it for backing?)
Thankyou alot in advance

[BowEd]

Personally I'd put a 1/2" to 3/4" band of sinew and hide glue along your bows back.On the crown.Let it cure for a couple of weeks and try it.

[Del the cat]

IMO the bow is too narrow and too short for that draw length.
Need at least 2" wide and probably 70" long
Del

[GlisGlis]

Personally I'd put a 1/2" to 3/4" band of sinew and hide glue along your bows back

I'll try to find sinew but it could be difficult.
Linen or agave are that bad?

IMO the bow is too narrow and too short for that draw length.

Yes it could be in fact. Lesson learned.
width too increase the draw?
I could try to fix it and lower the poundage to let it use to my buddies.

[mikekeswick]

It's hard to tell exactly what has happened from the photos but here are some general hints.
Sinew has a lot of potential stretch to it if laid lengthwise along the limb taking some/most of the tension where it's laid. When wrapped around the limb and hide glue is used it contracts upon drying.
Linen and agave don't have much stretch in them at all. As your bow has a crowned back the strands down the center are under more strain and would potentially be at risk of breaking.
If you had two bows all things are equal - draw weight, length, poundage etc but one is 1 1/2 inch wide and one is 2 inch wide (and therefore thinner) the 2 inch one is under less strain at the same drawlength. Another way to look at it is that the 2 inch wide one can also be pulled further.
As a general rule take your drawlength and make sure the working length of your limbs is the same. So a good length for your bow would have been 8 inch handle and fades + (31 x 2) = 70 inch.
If you want to go shorter then either wider limbs or very elastic wood like yew will definately help. Or make a bow that bends a little in the handle eg. not narrowed (much) at the handle with no distinct fades. You could then go down to around 62 -64 inch.

[Jodocus]

Your grain runs diagonally across the back, the stave was twisted wich is the curse of hazel, it's mostly twisted. 

Thus, when you overstrained the back the fissures opened. You should not have drawn it beyond 28" or so. just what I think. And by the time hazel tears across it's twisted back, I would almost bet it wrinkled on the belly, too.

But it looks cool and quite primitive. I suggest you move on to the next. You might want to try walnut pods for dying, it's now that they can be gathered. Since you like going the primitive way, I mean.

Now I would not burn it but just make another one that will be even cooler (and longer, for that matter).

[dwardo]

Only made two hazel bows and bow were surprising performers, but both were near two inches at the widest, and heat treated.

[GlisGlis]

@mikekeswick
tankyou for all the good infos. Really precious for a newb like me.
I'll stay on a longer/wider bow for my next

Thus, when you overstrained the back the fissures opened. You should not have drawn it beyond 28" or so. just what I think. And by the time hazel tears across it's twisted back, I would almost bet it wrinkled on the belly, too.

luckily the belly seems ok at present.

But it looks cool and quite primitive. I suggest you move on to the next. You might want to try walnut pods for dying, it's now that they can be gathered

Sorry i wrote hickory but i was supposed to write walnut. My english is not that good.
As for the bow i think i'll try to fix this one anyway. I'm just to curious to see if it is possible.
In the meanwhile I'm going to sew a nice black locust that will probably be my next one.

but both were near two inches at the widest, and heat treated

Good to know dwardo. You got long draw too?
I have to check how to heat treat. Sorry but I still have to learn alot.

[dwardo]

Pretty standard craw length, anywhere between 26 and 28 depending on the bow mainly.

Some woods especially lighter woods like hazel need to be wider to keep set to a minimum. For long draw lengths you need to make the bow longer to be safe. Double your draw length then add some more for a stiff handle and stiff tips. THis will give you a rough idea of your bow length.

[crooketarrow]

  As long as there's no run offs on the edge anywhere.

  SUPER GLUE AND SHOOT IT.
 
  Those are drying cracks. Looks like you debarked and did'nt seal the back.

  You can sinew the cracks. If it makes you feel safer.

  Drying cracks don't break unless there run offs. It can cause more set and string follow.

  If it breaks chalk it up to exsperance.

  BUILD ANOTHER

[BowSlayer]

iv'e made a similar bow to that. but i suggest you shorten the handle as that will give you a longer draw length. but first put some hide glue or superglue into thoose cracks and clamp them. once you have done that leave it alone and get yourself a board. red oak maybe? and try and get a bow from that. there are plenty of build alongs on this site and on youtube to. once you have a nice board bow or 2 under your belt then try some stave bows. hope this helps. 

[mikekeswick]

Your grain runs diagonally across the back, the stave was twisted wich is the curse of hazel, it's mostly twisted. 

Interesting. Where are you from?
Literally none of the hazel round here is twisted  Must just be lucky, although most of it used to be coppiced years ago ao maybe that has something to do with it?

[dwardo]

Your grain runs diagonally across the back, the stave was twisted wich is the curse of hazel, it's mostly twisted. 

Interesting. Where are you from?
Literally none of the hazel round here is twisted  Must just be lucky, although most of it used to be coppiced years ago ao maybe that has something to do with it?

Just lucky mate. Lot of the hazel near me is twisted. Atleast any of the stuff large enough for a decent weight bow
Shame i really like it as a bow wood too.

[GlisGlis]

Those are drying cracks. Looks like you debarked and did'nt seal the back.

I did not seal the back for sure. I dont know how to 
would you please tell me how to do that?

As long as there's no run offs on the edge anywhere.

apparently no sign of run off
ty for the good advices

iv'e made a similar bow to that. but i suggest you shorten the handle as that will give you a longer draw length. but first put some hide glue or superglue into thoose cracks and clamp them.

good idea to shorten the handle. I'll do it

once you have done that leave it alone and get yourself a board. red oak maybe? and try and get a bow from that. there are plenty of build alongs on this site and on youtube to. once you have a nice board bow or 2 under your belt then try some stave bows

mmm....
it is not a fault of humility but I dont like too much the idea of a board bow (even less the pvc bows)
I konw i have alot to learn but i'm fascinated by the wood as it is in nature.
but i'll consider a board bow too. thankyou.


One more question. I'm not sure about the Crown / Decrown  words meaning.
A decrowned stave is when the back is cutted and flattened while a crowned bow has the back integer as it is in nature?
a board bow or a wood plank is allways decrowned? is that true?

[BowSlayer]

de-crowed is where you make the back of the bow flat. but not all boards, planks are not always de-crowned. it's like all iphones are phones but not all phones are iphones (sorry thats the only one i could think off) same applies to boards, some of them are sawn so that it's quater sawn, ect.... hope i havn't confused you