next - Update: survivor FD added

[backtowood B2W]

seems the bow goods don't like me this days.
I shot this bow 50 arrows or so - heard a tic - checked the back - and rawhide backed it as I discovered a tiny splinter last week.
Cleaning up the edges I discovered a delamination between back and belly lam. Guess it was there already and the rawhide just showed it as it was shrinking and pulled the back up.
Ash-Yew, 68"ntn, 47#28", perry reflex. The ash backing has a snaky grain which I followed - the handle looks like off center but the string actually ran through the middle. The tips didn't get much Perry as I left em wide for string alignment
I know, a power lam would have strengthen the fades, I thought the belly lam is quite thick, for a 50# bow but it didn't ramp up much towards the fades.

Can I save it?
Two options I´m thinking about:
1. CA or Epoxy for gluing the delaminating area together again and tiller it down to maybe 40#.
2. Saw it in two halves, separate the lams bit further than the fades and gluing in two power lam wedges. than fitting into T/D sleeves.
Hm, what do you think I should do?
Thanks for your help?

Forgot to mention, can stick the corner of a paper about 1/2" into the gap. limb thickness at the fades is 11/16", width is 1 1/2".

[simk]

Hey Martin, sorry to hear about that....!  Are you sure the gap opened after glueing and it's not just a thicker glueline there? I'm surprised a bit because I never had that on a properly made epoxy glueline. If so I'd go for No 1, the epoxy repair. Warm the bow well on that spot before applying the epoxy so it liquids and creeps well. Then apply epoxy and gently warm with heatgun. Let it cure, make a tight wrap and soak it with epoxy. This is not too much work.... Maybe make the wrap a little longer into the working limb to stiffen the spot and to compensate the steep ramps a little. If you still have a problem then you could consider No 2, which is almost like building a new bow.  I have separated hard backings easily with the heat gun. That way the bakcing is crap afterwards but at least you dont affect the belly lam.
Keep your head up - greets

[Marc St Louis]

You didn't mention what it is glued with. 

Fixing it is possible.

[backtowood B2W]

the lams are glued together with 2 comp epoxy, the rawhide with white wood glue (water-resistant).
It also was delamed at the other fade.
Have done the fix up today:
filled the gaps with superglue, than braced the bow, two clamps for more pressure.
wrapped with wet flax soaked in white wood glue.
Thank you simk for your advice, I went for CA as the gaps were to thin to get epoxy in there, flax, cause I wanted the primitive look with the rawhide.

[willie]

Is the handle splice a single lap? looks only about 9 cm long. epoxy also?

[backtowood B2W]

The handle is a Z - splice, also glued together with Epoxy and 5 degree deflex.
The glueing set up for perry was 5" reflex. It holded 3" after unclamping and almost 2" after tillering and resting.
Thanks for your input!

[simk]

I really hope it works out for you and you will get another shooting piece of art! did I give you a snakey backing like that?....can't imagine 🤔 i know epoxy on epoxy works, but does ca on epoxy the same? i hope so...! warm epoxy creeps into every last crack, but somtimes you have to help it a little at the beginnin with a needle or something; just think about stabilized wood. looking forward for your results. cheers

[backtowood B2W]

Shot about 50 arrows this week and another 50 today. Shots nice and more important it's still holding together. Narrowed the handle a bit more but didn't make it lighter in dw.
Next week off so I will have plenty of time shooting it.

How do you guys seal the rawhide backing? Especially at the grip. Don't want to wrap it any more and keep the bog oak visible. The rawhide is spliced also in the handle.
This is my second rawhide backing on a bow and I remember it took a longtime for the resin alcohol solution to dry.

[Will B]

Nice job saving that one. I Hope you get many years of use out of it.

 I use multiple coats of Tru Oil on my rawhide backings with a finish spray coat of spar urethane.

[backtowood B2W]

Guess I could save this one - shoot about 300 arrows last week and still holds together.
Finished it with tung oil. I was a bit concerned the oil will soften the rawhide but it worked out fine. First apply 50/50 tung oil/isopropylalcohol, second 75/25 tung/ipa. following 100% tung oil. I think bownarra recommended to cut the tung oil first - that worked out really nice - thank you! I was a bit lacy so there are still some tool marks visible but the tung oil can hide a bit.
I designed the nocks this way - to use a leather pocket stringer. I don't like to much wood sticking out beyond the nocks, so this idea came up - works out great and the look is a bit different. Tip overlay is bog oak.
Let me know what you think about the tiller, despite bending too much close too handle

[backtowood B2W]

nock details

[simk]

good one Martin! glad everything holds togethet that fine  unique tips again. bend is exactly how i tiller those...dunno if its "correct" but sure makes fast bow 😁 maybe a tiny little shocky...maybe you share your impressions. best regards ✌️

[bownarra]

I'm glad you saved it
It certainly has a story behind it now

[backtowood B2W]

Thank you Simon, I didn't mention that the snaky ash backing and holy yew came from you . But you know I like Charakter bows .
Yes, it's fast but compared without raw hide it lost some speed.
Also, yes it's a bit shocky, not uncomfortable but noticeable. When i turn it over it shots pretty the same way. Do you think the hand shock comes from too much bend close to the fades?

[simk]

how come that? don't know what made me choose a snakey piece like that  it was probably meant as a middle lam  interesting work tough, that character glue up, unique think the design and the tiller could be a little shocky, yes, and also high string tension may induces some vibrations also...? just my 2c. i still like shooting them. was thinking about string silencers too out of this same reason.
rawhide backing is quite heavy. put one very thin and only 2/3 of limbs on my new hornbow and got around 50gramms heavier. cheers