back splinters

[chuckp]

I've made 5 hickory bows this year. I've been shooting them and have been satisfied with their performance. They were designed and tillered to the best of my ability. Lately two have splintered on the back. I've wrapped them and will continue to shoot them if I can but it makes me wonder.
Will backing a bow with say rawhide prevent splinters. Lets say I have a hickory that I really like and to prevent any mishaps can backing be the ticket?
 

[Elktracker]

Yes backing will help prevent splinters

[sailordad]

i disagree
the only thing that will pevent back splinters is an unviolated back and not bending the bow
rawhide will help keep the bow in one piece,it will hold splinters down but not prevent them
it may give some strength to the back and add some durability but i doubt it will "prevent" splinters

[Elktracker]

I guess i should have worded it like it was wrote in the TBBvol1 top of page 234 other backings " And the strain on the back is also greatly reduced, lessening the danger of splintered backs and fractures". I wasnt trying to start a argument maybe i am misunderstanding what i read here, i am very new to this and have never even backed a bow with anything other than Boo, but i think i have a decent understanding of why you may want to back a bow. And i never said it would prevent splintering i said " backing will HELP prevent splintering.

[4est Trekker]

You were correct, Elktracker 

To clarify: Yes, there are some backing that, when applied correctly, will HELP prevent splinters on some bows.  If the grain on the back of the bow, then no backing short of a boo or wood lamination (which will also increase draw weight) will be successful..and even then it's a crap shoot.  But if you're simply trying to maintain the structural integrity of a moderately violated back, especially on a tough wood like hickory, then a properly applied backing of rawhide, linen/flax, silk, etc. will suffice.  I actually really like using brown paper that's saturated it Titebond III as a backing.  If applied correctly, it becomes a veneer that is essentially one continuous wooden growth ring (because paper is wood fiber).  Albeit thin, it does protect well, prevents slivers from raising on moderately violated backs, and can be stained for hunting purposes.  Here is a picture of a couple of quick board bows I backed with brown paper:

[Elktracker]

What kind of brown paper is that? where can you get it? looks nice for paper

[4est Trekker]

It's just brown shipping paper.  You can get it at Wal-Mart, Target, etc.  Those were quick and dirty bows, so I didn't do a very good job of them.  However, you can make a paper backing look very attractive by mottling it with different hues of stain.

[half eye]

Chuck,
      Made quite a few bows from woods that like to throw splinters. Red Elm, some Ash, and both of the Oaks. even 2 hickory's I dont back bows (there is the occassional "self backed") In my experience I radius the sharp edges of the back. I found on mine that the slivers try to lift where grain comes to sharp point where the back and sides meet.....the sharper the edge the finer is the point on the sliver.....which means it is real easy for it to lift. by radiusing (is that a word?) these sharp corners you are reducing the sharp point of the sliver and making it wider instead of pointy......ya can loose the occasional bow anyway (mistakes while tillering) but if it gets to be a bow then the radius will really help with not making any splinters from useage.
    Hope that aint too confussing....but it works real good for me.....Kind of like trying to fix the cause, not make it and try to prevent it.
(having a sharp end grain & glueing a backing over it)....JMO
rich

[chuckp]

The hickories I've made have virgin backing. Just de-barked. No violations. My problem may be shooting technique and draw length. My draw is 301/2". I like to hold on target. Sometimes for about 5 seconds at full draw.
So I'm a little tough on bow.
I really like the idea of brown paper backing saturated with titebond 3. 4est Trekker, could you go into more detail on the procedure?
By the way, how would good ol' burlap do?
half eye-When you say radius the edge, do you mean rounding the edge?

[4est Trekker]

A lot of folks use burlap, although I like a tighter woven, lighter fabric like silk or linen personally.

As far as the paper goes:

I cut a strip that is about 4" longer than bow and that overhangs each edge by 1/2"-1".  I then cut it in half so I can work from the handle toward the tip.  I moisten the paper with a sponge, saturate one limb of the bow with TBIII (being sure to cover every square inch evenly), and then working from the handle outward, lay the paper down and smooth it with my fingers.  I work the air bubbles and glue globs toward the tip and edges of the bow.  I make sure to keep the paper taught as I go.  Then I lightly burnish it with a smooth, round object (like a small bottle) to seat the glue and help remove any tiny air bubbles.  Then I do the other limb.  No clamping necessary.  It's easiest to do this before you round the edges of the bow over.  However, you can do it afterward.  Just make sure you get good adhesion along the edges.  When it's dry, use a file to round the edges (or slightly re-round them, as the case may be), following by some sandpaper. This will remove the excess paper and give you a clean line. 

If you'd like to stain the paper a contrasting color, do so before you trim it.  Hope that helps ya!

[chuckp]

Do you water down the TBIII or use it full strength?

[chuckp]

By the way, what are the disadvantages of burlap? Its appearance ? Will It's weight slow down the cast of a bow?