pin knots in hickory

[sleek]

Had a bow break on me today. I was making a hickory elb and the back split open at a pin knot. The back was slightly rounded and so was the belly, though less so. The bow survived brace and 3/4 draw several times before letting go. Its still in one piece though the splinter is about one inch wide and 7 inches long, 1/16 thick. I glued it back down with tbIII and gonna wrap it just for fun, see how it holds up. I was only going for 50#@28.

Anyways,  yall notice hickory doesnt like little pin knots or is it just a problem with this stick?

[Hamish]

I don't know about hickory stave bows, but hickory backing and pin knots on a narrow elb eventually equals a broken bow. On two occasions this happened despite leaving a little extra width to compensate for the pin.
Did you compensate for the pins?
              Hamish.

[Jim Davis]

The grain doesn't run right up to a knot and stop, then start again on the other side. It goes around. If you are careful to not cut that growth ring anywhere, it should not be a problem. Check out the back of this hornbeam limb. Horn beam acts very much like hickory.

Jim  Davis

[sleek]

I probably violated the ring around the knot.

I was looking at the belly and was musing how there aren't many ring violations on it, then had an idea. I floor bent it backwards and it seems to have a nice bend. I will string it up backwards and see if it will hold.

[sleek]

Holy carp it works!

[Jim Davis]

Very cool.