Nail in stave

[apg]

Received a gorgeous piece of Osage, and once I found my ring, I also found this nail which runs deep it would seem.

Is there any way to work a bow with A nail in it like this? It’s smack bang in the middle of the working section of the limb and there’s not enough wood on either side to work around it.

Ash

[bradsmith2010]

If was me I would try as is,...but have never done it

[Pat B]

Clint built a bow a few years ago with a nail in it.
 I'd do like Brad  I would put super glue on the nail on the back and leave the belly side a little proud around the nail.

[Hamish]

It depends on the design of bow you intend to make. The narrower the limb design the more of an issue it will be.

Treat the nail as if it was a pin knot, i.e.  a potential weakness, especially in tension. Compensate by leaving extra width at the spot, just as you should with a knot, or pin.

Also if you used edged tools or rasps a nail exposed on the belly side is going to wreck havoc. You have the option of carefully driving the nail right through, and out with a punch or punches,

[apg]

THANK YOU!!

[apg]

Like this right?

[sleek]

Leave the nail, your profile looks fine. If you have a belt sander, use that to tiller, it wont notice the nail.

[Hamish]

That's the right idea.
What ever the diameter of a knot or in this case nail then add that much to the limb at that point, eg if a limb was 1 &1/2" , and a knot is 1/8", the limb need to swell out to 1&5/8".

Yes, leaving the nail in will look cool.

[sleek]

A few years back, a fellow member on here named LEBHUNTFISH helped a guy build a bow with a nail in it. It shot fine as I'm sure yours will also.

[bentstick54]

Are you still following the grain by “curving” the profile around the nail, thus creating unnecessary grain run out?  Can you shift your whole profile over a bit and accomplish the same thing? Hard to see grain in picture, but I agree with treating it like a knot.

[bentstick54]

Here’s one I have at least 500-600 arrows through. Knot goes clear through the limb and is 1/3 large on the belly side. This is in lower limb also.

[apg]

Ohhhh I see- so @bentstick54 you made the belly profile thicker around the nail and maybe a little wider too?

[Hamish]

I'm tempted to pre drill and nail into a perfectly clear piece of osage for my next bow:)

[sleek]

I'm tempted to pre drill and nail into a perfectly clear piece of osage for my next bow:)

That would break fibers. A nail just pushes them away. I'm  amazed someone was able to drive a nail into osage. I didnt know that was possible.

[Hamish]

To nail straight into osage it would need to be very green.