How perfect do hickory backing strips need to be?

[youngbowyer33]

I got some hickory cut into 1/8" backing strips (not qs though), but it wasn't me that was doing the cutting or the planing and I forgot to look over the pieces while I could plane them some more. So there are some saw marks and a tiny knot in some of them. Should I sand them down in the problem areas, or the whole strip, or is it okay if they are on the glue side?


That's a dime. Know would be around mid-limb


This is close to the end/tip





I'm definitely going to be more careful next time and cut them thicker and plane them more.

Thank you

[Ryan Jacob]

Yaeah, you’ll probably want to sand or plane down the whole pieces until you have a clean surface

[PatM]

You'll need to clean them up no matter which side goes where.

[youngbowyer33]

Okay gotcha, thanks.

[Hamish]

For pin knots I generally reject the strip as suitable for a backing. I usually make narrow longbows 1" or less wide and despite fattening the area around the knot on the bowstave(like you would with a tree stave) they broke, at the knot. You get the dreaded" tick" and sooner or later the bow blows.

 You might have more success with a pin knot in a backing if the limbs were much wider, say 1&1/2" or more. You would still need to compensate for it by leaving extra width in the backing at that point.
You save more time and materials if you only use clear, straight grained, smoothed backing.
Rejects can be sawn up for billet backings or used as core wood.

[youngbowyer33]

For pin knots I generally reject the strip as suitable for a backing. I usually make narrow longbows 1" or less wide and despite fattening the area around the knot on the bowstave(like you would with a tree stave) they broke, at the knot. You get the dreaded" tick" and sooner or later the bow blows.

Oh jeeze, that doesn't sound good. I could try it on a flatbow or use the other half.

[Bayou Ben]

I'm with Hamish on this one.  I've tried 2 backing with very small pin knots; one hickory and one maple.  Both are broken now. 
No more pin knots on backings for me.  You use those pieces to save money, but end up spending way more money and time if they break. 

[youngbowyer33]

 I'm going to try and get some bamboo to make backings too, hopefully there are less problems. I really want to try this strip with the knot because it's good other wise. Maybe if I use it on a elb I can position it so it's not on the back. But the grain would still be curled there a bit

[Dances with squirrels]

Make sure those marks are 100% gone. The backing piece generally doesn't have to be 1/8" thick on most flatbows. I've made good bows with half that much.

[Bayou Ben]

And these breaks tend to be of the explosive dangerous type.  I now won't use less than perfect backings just from the safety perspective...

[youngbowyer33]

Explosions are scary. You've convinced me to not use the knot part

[Marc St Louis]

If you can place the knot in a non-working area, such as the handle or near a tip, then it will be OK otherwise don't use it.  If you have 2 pieces with pin knots then you can cut off the knots and splice at the handle

[Badger]

  I think Chinese elm could prove out to be a great backing. Lots of big trees around in California. That stuff can be used with violations either flat or edge cut. The most bullet proof backing I have seen.