Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: benjamin on February 04, 2008, 03:17:40 pm
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Hello everyone. I've had to steam the lower limb of my last osage self bow about three times to get the string to line up with the handle. I was real careful to put varnish on the back while it dried but it developed 3 long cracks running with the grain from the bottom of the handle till about 8 inches from the tip. There are also some small cracks running here and there; also on the back. I've put crazy glue in all the cracks and varnished the thing all to heck. I'd just like to ask any of you if this bow is going to live or die violently in the near future. Also, have any of you had this problem and how did you save the bow? Thanks for your help.
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Sometimes osage does it, sometimes not! My experience. Since I had it first time I do the heating of Osage from that time on only with dry heat. I rub it with with muscrat fat (any other animal fat will do) and then heat it with a heating pistol? (correct word?).
The fat helps to heat it slow and even and helps not to burn up the wood, although you have to be careful!
When its cold you can keep up work, otherwise with steam it takes up to 2 weeks of waiting.
You can put hideglue into the crack and then wrap it with animalsinew. This will, after it had dried, shrink and hold the wood together.
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Could also be a spring growth ratio causing this to happen. Heard some about it but,dont believe I could explain it as well as some of the other members can.
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lets see some pictures....normally lateral cracks in Osage wont hurt...but without seeing them ....we really cant tell
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If you steam dry osage it will check as it dries! Dry wood-dry heat...wet wood-wet heat! If you must steam dry osage(any wood) coat the back and ends with shellac. It can take the heat and steam and doesn't allow moisture into the sealed wood.
Generally, checks don't effect the performance of a bow unless they run off the limb. However some folks find them ugly. I consider these types of cosmetic things as character. ;) Pat
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I don't steam Osage over 3-4 years old and then only once,if it needs more tweeking after that I use dry heat.Like Pat said if it don't run off it won't hurt anything,just drip some super glue in it
and clamp it shut, and move on. :)
Pappy
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Thanks for all the help. I think she'll live.