handle splice question

[Lost Arra]

Does a handle with a z-splice have to remain rigid or can you still put a little (very little) bend in the handle area?
This is yew and it's 71" long.

[markinengland]

My friend Peter made an ash backed yew with a simple scarf butt joint in both the yew and ash, with a bend in handle warbow. It works.
A good glue joint is stronger than the wood.
Mark in England

[adb]

I think it would be OK, but I would back it, just to be safe. John Strunk makes beautiful rawhide backed yew selfbows. A well done glue joint is plenty strong, but a spliced joint must have a good fit BEFORE it's glued to be useful. If you eliminate "gap filling glues" from your vocabulary, your life will be better.

[Badger]

it won't be a self bow if he backs it, yew elbs are made all the time from billets. Steve

[adb]

Sorry, Steve... you are right. Rawhide backed is not a selfbow.
I just don't recall the original question being about making a yew selfbow. I thought it was about splicing a handle. Whenever I splice a handle, I back the bow... with something. Just my opinion. I guess maybe I should stop being a chicken@#$*!!! No offense intended.

[Badger]

ADB, maybe you are right after all, I had self bow stuck in my brain, backing would undoubtedly be safer! Steve

[Yeomanbowman]

I made a lightish warbow (just over 100lbs) from spliced sister billets of yew and the splice was fine yet it snapped clean through the centre after about 100 shots at a right angle.  The spliced section was bound in linen thread as well.  I'm very sceptical about this now as I think it somehow sets up internal tensions that will go at some stage.  Simon Stanley shoots all his records with a 167lb spliced yew bow by Chris Boyton, but that has a full-length/continuous hickory backing.  I think this makes all the difference. 
I would not make a heavy unbacked billet selfbow with a circular tiller if I were you, to my mind it's a time-bomb.

[Rod]

In general, the warbow is a single stave self bow, and using spliced billets is probably not truly representative of the type.
Not to say that it can't be done, but it will obviously dictate the tiller and I personally would not care to draw one unless it was made by someone upon whose workmanship I knew I could rely.
Rod.

[Lost Arra]

Rod: I put this question here because I thought the warbow makers would have more yew experience. The bow I'm making will be backed with rawhide and not over 65#, 72" in length.

[Rod]

I would leave the tiller stiff through the handle with self yew billets. It is normal to bind the whole of the splice very tightly with strong thread set in glue before applying a cover to the handle.
In this way if the splice were to give way the binding will limit any damage to your person. :-)
Rod.

[Lost Arra]

Thanks to all.

Wrapping the handle sounds like a good plan.