Tip corner split

[RedStag5728]

Hey guys I was working on my dad's hickory self-bow today and got it to the short string stage (bending at weight to 15" on long string) and I made a short string for it, went to string it up and noticed the loops kept slipping out of the nock on the upper limb.

So I filed out the nock a little more to help the string stay in it. I managed to get the string to stay, when all of a sudden the loop unraveled and the string burrowed itself into the lower corner edge of the nock wood and split it (on the back of the bow) down about an inch. Not a big split, and it barely lifted the split up, so I super-glued it down and wrapped it with sinew (I just got done doing so).

How long should I wait to let everything dry and be safe enough to try to re-string it and continue tillering?

Here's the back where it split (it split on the bottom edge not even 1/16" wide):

   

Side View (split corner on top):

   

Belly View (split corner on top)

   

so for clarification it split like this following the grain:

   

[George Tsoukalas]

I think super glues have different drying times. Check the directions. Jawge

[RedStag5728]

Thanks for the reply George, I was wondering more about the sinew. I've read that when sinewing back a bow let it dry 2 weeks at least but what about a little repair like this?

[Eric Krewson]

I had the same thing happen on two osage bows but much larger splits. This is why I started putting tip overlays on all my bows.

[Mad Max]

Did you sand all tool marks out before bending ?

[RedStag5728]

Eric, you know that's a good idea. I hadn't thought about that, I do have some spare antlers laying around. Would it be better to use more of the outside edges of the antler as the over lay or could I like cut off the tips and use the cross section (inside) as the overlay?

Mark, the last 6" of my tips don't bend, I left them stiff. And on the belly I use cabinet scrapers and my drawknife as a scraper so I don't have any rasp marks on the belly of my bow. I do have some marks on the tips as shown in the pictures but once I finish the bow I'll sand those out.

[mikkekeswick]

If you make the tip perfect it won't do this. Sure you can use overlays but best to learn to make your self nocks bombproof first.

[Eric Krewson]

If you have a the string on one side of the nock, in this case a failed string, one side won't support the weight and will split, not every time but it will happen. Nock design won't matter much.

I haven't used antler so I am not a good source of reference for installing it as nock overlays.

I had an overlay split a long time ago which created a similar situation putting all the string pressure on one side. The limb split about 6" down.

I threw the bow in the failure pile for years but decided to try to resurrect it a few months ago. This is the result, so far so good, plenty of arrows through the bow and no problems so far.

There is very little original limb material at the tip. I feathered the wood out to paper thin where the overlay ends and used Unibond for glue.

   

[mikkekeswick]

I have to disagree nock design is all important. If there is nothing for the strands to catch on then it can't split your tip.
I was going to do a drawing on the photo of the nocks shown above but didn't get chance!
On overlay will only split if the grain is dodgy or again it isn't designed properly.
Instead of the goroove on the side of the bow ending in a v the point of the v should be taken off with a sharp knife then blended back in. Don't try to use round files to shape the full nock as you invariably end up with this 'point'. The string should be sat on a 'shoulder' where it goes from the side of the limb to the back.

[mikkekeswick]

Also a good idea not to use a knackered string!