i've made several hbo bows, and the only one that gave me any trouble had quater-sawn hickory on the back. All the other backing strips were flat sawn, had ridiculous grain violations all over the place, and never heard a peep. This edge-grained one, straight lines tip to tips, lifted out at the handle and needed to be repaired. But...that could've been bad tillering, and it was a very short bow.