Need advice regarding elderberry

[mikekeswick]

Why not simply cut away this thin transition of wood and expose the channel?

Mike, elves don't make great bows? What are elves most famous for if not superior bows and archery skills?

We are the knights who say 'ni'!

[FilipT]

Here is roughed out bow. There is something that worries me. When I cut into the wood on the upper limb, suddenly whole workshop started to stink.
It came from the black - brown in color pith in length of 20 cm from the top. It seems it started to transform into humus while the tree was alive and uncut. When I cut tree in Saturday I didn't pay much attention to the blackish looking pith where my saw came through.

Should I be worried? Wood is just a shade different in color around that stinking pith, is that rotten wood?

Bow profile


Profile from side showing 8 cm reflex


Reflex looking from belly


Belly of the bow, I hold the bow at center


Upper limb pith channel, look at discoloration


Upper limb knot on back


Lower limb pith channel


Lower limb knot on back

[FilipT]

UPDATE:

Bow cracked through out grain for at least a feet from either side. Cracked where the pith channel stops. That's it, I threw it away.

[DC]

Cracked on the belly or the back?

[FilipT]

On belly, deep crack, don't want to do anything with it as removing it would cause the bow to probably be underweight in the end.