My bows keep exploding advice needed

[trail walker]

Hi yall I haven't posted on this forum in years haha. So I live in eastern central Utah and I've been into making 50" ish northern plaines style bows from local bow woods. Choke cherry, juniper, service berry. I've had a little secsess with it. But everything i make explodes. Usually halfway through the tellering process. I had a nice RM juniper that pulled 50# at 25inches with 3 layers of sinew and a beautiful tiller  that blew up after a year. And the last 4 bow staves I've had of juniper and choke cherry exploded only halfway through tellering. The juniper was my bad. I forgot you cant mess with it much before it's sinew backed but on all of them i was  working on where barly to half tiller. And boom!

My guess is that because it's so bloody dry here it's all getting to brittle or something. I usually library apply elk tallow to my finished bows on a fairy regular bases. Do I need to be oiling my staves??? Any help and advice is apreasheate. It's getting a little descouraging out here haha.

[willie]

too dry can be an issue.
that the sinew backed lasted for a year rather than halfway thru tillering could confirm that your problems come from tension breaks on the back, as sinew  handles tension much better than wood  (especially juniper wood)

any pics of the failures in question would help.

how do you store your bows and staves?
do your designs have flat or crowned backs?

maybe someone can comment on how primitive archers in your area optomized designs and storage for dryness?

[trail walker]

I don't have any of the staves but it's almost like they peel apart. it will  give out mid limb it's like it follows the growth rings so half the bow is separated in like 3 layers it's never a clean snap. I'm always careful not to hinge my limbs and leave weaker areas reinforced. It breaks in areas I was not anticipating it to.

My area is hard to find native bow woods so I usually am usualy limited to cutting 4"-6" diameter branches and i leave the crown on. I rough out the bow when its green and lash it to a board to help with twisting and let it sit for a few months. somtmes under my bed or in a corner of the house.

[bassman211]

Unbacked choke cherry is an accident looking for a place to happen in my experience. Backed with sinew really helps. Natives made them backed with success. No experience with juniper, but every thing that I have read says it does great with a sinew backing.  Short bows benefit with the use of sinew. Check your moisture content with a moisture meter. If you are tillering right there is a good chance your wood is to dry to begin with. Try hickory if you have it, and you might want to make a longer bow to see what happens first. Were I live in the east to much moisture is a common problem. Chuck Loefler I thing lives out that way. Message him. He may have some helpful tips for you.Good luck.

[bjrogg]

I was thinking of Chuck to. It would be nice to hear from him. He works with juniper and sinew.

I have never done juniper and sinew but would like to try. From what I understand the sapwood is better than the heartwood. The heartwood is so pretty though and smells so good.

Wish you luck trail walker and glad to see you back

Bjrogg

[trail walker]

Ya I've seen allot of his stuff, i used to get an his website and drool over his bows. He is truly an artist! If I could pick his brain for 10min it probly would save me 10 years of trial and error. Is he still active on here?

[superdav95]

I agree with bj on this.  I bet the sapwood of a properly seasoned juniper bow with well sized with quality hide glue would do quite well with sinew in your dry climate.  The heartwood is little more brittle but in my climate it would be just fine.  I’m thinking down there a different game.  The historic bows seem to a mix and sapwood often was used for a reason with sinew.  Just a thought.  The sapwood is more forgiving but in my area or climate I would likely prefer the heartwood with sinew as I can get away with it and not have it explode on me.  Not that I would try to make a sapwood only sinew backed juniper but it matters where you are and mc. 

[ImYourMullberry]

Lots of experience blowing up bows so yeah!!!....
First if your open to bow woods beyond your region I would advise the most tension strong woods to get some experience under your belt
Hickory
White Oak (probably the most break resistant wood I've ever tried)
Osage

Second I would just used rawhide, heavy cow rawhide from dog bones never quits, I know its frustrating to loose sinew when a good bow just blows up.

Finally, to parot some lessons from Chuck about making bows out west, cut and begin working them immediately while still green, try not to use mature trunks, rather branches or saplings, they are generally more elastic, and finally don't be afraid to grease them as often as possible. I use bacon grease on yew after every tillering session.