Rawhide fix / Finished product with Pics

[Lefty8917]

I just found some cracks developing around the mid limb of this osage bow im working on. This baby is just about done and shooting so SWEET! Any advice on how to save it?? Ive used sinew to fix cracks but never tried a rawhide backing. Any opinions on which would be my best bet?

[Eric Garza]

Either could work.

If you wrap with sinew around the pins, that would work but you'd probably want to do it to both sides to make your bow look symmetrical. The sinew wrap might also add a stiff spot in the limbs if you put it on too thick.

Personally, I'd probably back the bow with rawhide.

[adb]

Is that the back or the belly?

[Dvshunter]

First off, nice job on pics that we can see. I have had the same problem on pins in the past. Sometimes the cracks stay in the knot and sometimes they dont. I would probably wrap them if it was me but as eric said a rawhide job would also do the trick.

[mwosborn]

I would get some super glue in them while under a little stress - maybe a couple of times and then rawhide the back.

[PatM]

I would be putting a real sinew back on that. Wrapping around something holds it together but provides  no fibers running the right way.

[Dvshunter]

I agree pat. I usually lay some silk lengthwise on the bows back before I wrap it just for that reason. It just seems like it would be stronger.

[Pappy]

I am pretty much with Mike if it's on the belly,if it was the back I would feel better about a repair,super glue might help  I would probably if I still had wood and weight to work with try and take a little off either side of them to take a little pressure off them and shoot it , It will most likely get worse,but who knows it may last a good while.I hate pins for that reason,you never know for sure what they will do. Good Luck.
 Pappy

[Fred Arnold]

That sure looks like the back to me and if so I'd probably back the bow instead of patching.

[Marc St Louis]

Looks like the back to me and those pins were taken down too much.  I would do as Pat says

[PEARL DRUMS]

That sure looks like the back to me and if so I'd probably back the bow instead of patching.

That's my vote to, rawhide the whole she-bang and shoot it for life. Id say that's the back or he did one fine job of hiding the belly taper.

The VERY same thing happened to this bow. I added rawhide and a skin. It killed a deer a few months later.

[Lefty8917]

Hey guys, thanks for the input! Sorry i wasnt more spacific, That is the back of the bow. I did put super glue in the crack yesterday when it was strung. I am leaning toward rawhiding the whole back. Or i can do as pat said an run some sinew lengthwise, then wrap. Ill have to think about it some more, Im torn The only thing im worried about is the crack seems pretty close to the edge. And as Marc pointed out, i did take the pins down too far. Ill remember that for next time.

And a shoutout to RPS3 for the PICS!!

[Lefty8917]

Beautiful bow Pearl Drums. Would you mind posting a pic of the rawhid back? Id like to see what she looks like

[PEARL DRUMS]

Two things Lefty. I don't own it anymore, I gifted it to a friend a few years ago. Also, the rawhide was covered with timber rattler skins.

[kleinpm]

With two previous bows I have put rawhide just over the area in question plus a inch or so more in each direction and then wrapped it, then wrapped the other limb in the same place so both limbs look the same. There is no real reason to back the entire bow if you don't want to.

Patrick