Just a question about a dip and a knot

[TacticalFate]

Buckthorn bow, high crown, 68" NTN. Has quite a bit of twist, but gonna ignore that. The right limb has a funny W shape, and a largish knot up near the tip, as well as some swirly grain on the belly below the knot. I just need some tillering advice on how to handle that area. Do I need to get the outer half of the right limb bending more at this stage, accounting for the reflex in that portion of the limb?

[H Rhodes]

It looks like you are off to a good start.  I have never worked with buckthorn, but regardless of wood type, the area around that knot has to do it's share of bending.  It looks like your limbs are bending pretty evenly, so keep on tillering.  The curve of your limbs while drawn is what matters.    Keep on slow ahead and make sure the limbs are bending evenly.  It looks to me that the left limb is little stiffer and might need some scrapes about ten inches from the fade.  Good luck with it  and I can't wait to see how it turns out. 

[steve b.]

Hmmm?  How thick is the bow at the knot area?  My gut says to keep that area of the knot stiff and since its right at the point where the stiff tips should start you would end  up with a very long stiff tip.  Then I would want the other limb to match.  So I would end up with16+ inches of tips not working.  Therefore, I would shorten the bow to bring that knot up into the range of a normal stiff tip and, depending on wood type, either back the bow with a stiff handle, make the handle work, or back it and make the handle work.   I don't know that wood type, but since its not osage and since it has the crown I would stick to my plan of making a 64"-ish bow.

[H Rhodes]

, I would shorten the bow to bring that knot up into the range of a normal stiff tip and, depending on wood type, either back the bow with a stiff handle, make the handle work, or back it and make the handle work.   I don't know that wood type, but since its not osage and since it has the crown I would stick to my plan of making a 64"-ish bow.

Yep, that sounds right.  That knot won't cause you any trouble if it is in the stiff, non bending tip area of the bow. 

[crooketarrow]

  I don't but a lot of thought in to them. I tiller right on through them.