Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: sleek on November 17, 2014, 08:30:39 pm
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Had a bow break on me today. I was making a hickory elb and the back split open at a pin knot. The back was slightly rounded and so was the belly, though less so. The bow survived brace and 3/4 draw several times before letting go. Its still in one piece though the splinter is about one inch wide and 7 inches long, 1/16 thick. I glued it back down with tbIII and gonna wrap it just for fun, see how it holds up. I was only going for 50#@28.
Anyways, yall notice hickory doesnt like little pin knots or is it just a problem with this stick?
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I don't know about hickory stave bows, but hickory backing and pin knots on a narrow elb eventually equals a broken bow. On two occasions this happened despite leaving a little extra width to compensate for the pin.
Did you compensate for the pins?
Hamish.
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The grain doesn't run right up to a knot and stop, then start again on the other side. It goes around. If you are careful to not cut that growth ring anywhere, it should not be a problem. Check out the back of this hornbeam limb. Horn beam acts very much like hickory.
Jim Davis
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I probably violated the ring around the knot.
I was looking at the belly and was musing how there aren't many ring violations on it, then had an idea. I floor bent it backwards and it seems to have a nice bend. I will string it up backwards and see if it will hold.
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Holy carp it works!
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Very cool.