my first Black Locust bow

[bjrogg]

That’s a pretty nice bow for that piece of wood. Especially for your third bow. I’m sure you learned a lot from it. Your next one I’m sure will be even better. A little longer will help a lot.

I think you already understand this, but the fretting is happening because it’s where the wood is bending more than it can handle. I wouldn’t sand the frets away. There is already to much wood removed in those areas. In my opinion you would be better off giving up some draw weight and getting some of the other areas working just slightly more. That would take some of the stress off the areas with the frets.

Having said that. I think you did a pretty good job on that one and I would probably leave it alone and start on another.

Like bownarra said. Chase a ring on another stave. Reduce it to stiff floor tiller. Seal the back and ends. It will dry much faster and avoid checking that way. Monitor it’s weight and when it quits losing weight it is dry enough to work on.

Looking forward to seeing your next one.

Bjrogg

[Zugul]

I think I'll leave this bow as it is, at least for now. It's an absolute pleasure receiving compliments for my work from everyone of you, but receiving them from such experienced people is just... Priceless. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!

[scp]

Heat treating often increases the draw weight up to 10 pounds; sometimes even more. If you don't want to keep the increase, you can sand or better yet scrape the belly using even long strokes from fades to tips. In the process you might be able to get rid of the frets. I would measure the mass weight before and after the heat treating, and wait one more day after the weight becomes steady.

[Zugul]

I know, but it would be a new tecnique for me so... I don't want to screw up a finished bow. Whenever I'll be confident with my tillering skills I'll try it

[scp]

I know, but it would be a new tecnique for me so... I don't want to screw up a finished bow. Whenever I'll be confident with my tillering skills I'll try it

Wise choice. You can always get back to it later, even years later. For now just make sure the bow is perfectly seasoned already. The mass weight looks very reasonable to me, but you can always measure the mass weight in grains whenever you are going to shoot it, to see if there is any change. Remarkable bow in design and execution, especially for the third one.

[Pappy]

The tiller looks nice to me, BL can be funny to work at times and sometimes frets, nice job anyway with the wood you was working with, just to get a shooting bow from dead standing/wet/ wormy wood is a success in my book.
 Pappy