What is considered violating a growth ring?

[Fox]

So im trying to learn how to chase a growth ring... the few bows i have made have all been from whitwood so i havent really taken the time to learn yet... i have a few short BL staves im trying to practice on... so is violating a growth ring when you cut all the way threw your backing ring and into the next early wood ring? Or is it even cutting into the backing ring what's so ever ??

 -Fox

[Pat B]

It's cutting through the back ring into the early wood below. If you cut into the back ring be sure to smooth it out making it less likely to lift a splinter.

[Fox]

Wow holy crap that makes chasing a ring not like.. imposible  i always thought i like couldn't even touch it so thats great. Thanks.

[George Tsoukalas]

To me, it is cutting all the way through. Jawge

[willie]

Wow holy crap that makes chasing a ring not like.. imposible  i always thought i like couldn't even touch it so thats great. Thanks.

Fox, it is better if you don't dig into it too much. the more of the original that remains, the better. How thick are the rings?

[Hamish]

How thick are the rings, and what tools have caused you to go deeper than you intended?

[bownarra]

Not at all....
Violating a ring is taking wood (any wood) off the ring. Period.
You cannot go chasing a ring and think that just because you haven't gone all the way through to the next one you are good.
Imagine taking a perfect whitewood stave with the bark off and then taking nicks out of the back but not all the way through to the next ring....do you think that back would be strong?!   NO!
You should not touch the ring you are chasing at all, you aren't doing your job correctly.
Initially chase the earlywood ring above the one you want for you back. Then once that is exposed the full length of the stave go very carefully with sandpaper,files and a scraper to remove the earlywood - leaving a pristine back.

[Dances with squirrels]

Yikes.

I agree with Bownarra. Violating a ring is working into it... Period.

That said, whether or not violation of a pristine ring will cause an issue is a matter of degree, design, location, wood species used, etc.

So when a ring is 5/16" thick, some of you believe it can be cut through 1/4" or more deep, and it hasn't been violated? Wow. 

[BowEd]

Many times leaving a thin little bit of early wood on staves backs intermitently can give a bow that camoflauged affect many seek after staining or finish is applied.

[George Tsoukalas]

Just because I have very little to do today. Let's explore.

So let's say that I am chasing a ring on a BL stave. The ring is 3/8" thick which is certainly possible with BL so I manage to chase the ring but go through 1/32" of it. In essence I have 11/32" left of said ring.

Then according to some I have violated the ring?

Waiting to hear. 

Jawge

[Russ]

I dont feel like you violated it. now if you went through half 2/8ths out of the 3/8ths  and left the rest of it 3/8ths, then i would think about going down another but still i feel like you would be pretty safe.

[George Tsoukalas]

Fair enough. Now let's say the  ring is 1/16" thick how would you even know you took wood off that ring? Is it measurable?

Cutting through is dangerous but going into it  is not, at least in my experience (2-300 bows)

Let's not set impossible standards for newcomers to achieve or they will get frustrated.

Jawge

[RyanY]

I agree George. I can see what others are saying but a small amount of wood taken out of the late wood is rarely going to be detrimental to the bow. The late wood for most hardwoods is so tight that it would be very unlikely for the grain to lift at those spots. Most important to focus on avoiding spots that cross the early wood which is much weaker.

[RandyN]

The goal should be to leave the ring you are chasing intact. But don't get disappointed when you get a small nick/tear in the ring you want. Like others have said, smooth the edge of the tear and keep going. I have made a few bows and I am still trying to reach my goal of leaving the back without a nick or two.
Most of all enjoy the process.

[Pappy]

I've built a few bows and of course my gold is to not nick the ring I am shooting for, but most time I do a little here and there, do I junk the bow or chase to another ring ? No, I clean it up with a scraper or sand paper and carry on. Cutting through the ring is a complete different story.
 Pappy