My first bow, is it unsavable?

[Tzuridis]

This is my first bow and I only made it with an axe and some sand paper so its pretty bad compared to the ones I see on here lol. I just recently bought a draw knife and I dont really have any other tools than that. The tree is a sweetgum and thats not the one I cut down but it was one right beside it that was about the same width and it was almost entirely straight. I let the wood season for about 4 weeks. The string is 50ft parachute cord I bought at a sports store for $4 dollars.






Its hard to see but there is a crack that goes around the circular dents I made for the handle. I saw someone else do which is why I did it as well. If I made another bow out of sweetgum and did not make those circular dents do you think I could use it?

What other advice can you guys give me? I know there is a lot lol.

[Weylin]

Have you strung it or shot it? Those indentations around the handle don't look viable. They look weaker than any other point on the bow which means that your bow will likely fail there. There are some good beginner build alongs on this site that I recommend giving a try. Also reading the Traditional Bowyer's Bibles will give you a clearer idea of what you're shooting for. This site is a goldmine of information if you're willing to do a little digging. Good luck and ask lots of questions.

[JW_Halverson]

Those large grooves you put in to locate your handle are where ALL the bending will take place.  That's too much effort for such concentrated bending.  If it has been pulled at all, those spots will have permanent damage on the belly side and probably on the back side.  Even if you were to thin down the rest of the limbs to match the damage has already been done.

Hang this one on the wall and start a new one without the grooves to mark handle placement. 

I'd also recommend you make a bendy-handle bow.  Try 1 3/8 wide handle, taper the limbs until the tips are just less than half inch wide, and make it about 60" long.  Your handle will be the thickest and widest part of the bow, but leverage of the limbs will still cause it to bend in your hand as you tiller it.  Follow some of the threads here on bendy bows.  They are great bows to learn your skills making.  And they are pretty good shooters, too!  Good luck, and don't quit now!

[Eric Krewson]

You made your  fade outs in reverse, they are supposed to stick out not in. You bow is doomed more than likely.

Here is how you should make the transition from the handle to the limb;

[Tzuridis]

I never shot this one, it broke when I first started tillering. Thank you for the info/replies, Ive already started on a new bow with some more wood I stockpiled a few months ago.

[JW_Halverson]

Yup.  He's one of us.  Dust ain't even settled from breakin' and he's already makin' again!

[Thesquirrelslinger]

uh... also let it season a bit more. 4 weeks is a pretty short time to season wood. it needs to get down to about 9% moisture, usually about 3 months where i live.
-squirrel

[George Tsoukalas]

Those dents are not a good idea. No, start another. My site has info. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/index.html