Thanks for the help guys, I really appreciate all the responses so far.
I might have asked the wrong question, a better question I guess is, will a silk backing prevent tension failure? Does a silk back really alleviate stress on the back of the bow, or will it just prevent splinters from lifting? It seems like these would be two different issues, maybe someone more experienced can help explain the two issues.
The limb that broke on mine was a clean break across the back in nearly a straight line, not a splinter lifting. The limb then cracked up and down the limb separating the back from the belly for about 5-6 inches. Even with this failure though, the limb is still in one whole piece hanging together, but split apart pretty dramatically. I wish it were easier for me to upload pics at work, but I will try to get something tonight if it helps.
I guess another question would be, is what I'm describing tension failure? And will silk prevent or help prevent that? It seems like it would when I think about it, but i'm not sure.
I just want to make sure that what I'm doing is an appropriate solution for the problem, if not I'm open to other options.