Repair Ding in Back

[hickry]

Back w/ another request for help!?  I have a hickory bow that I built last year w/ some issues... and I'd like to try and salvage it.  After shooting pretty solid for a year in east texas humidity, it's developed a couple of inches of set.  I read the chapter on heat treating in TBB4 and am EXCITED to give that a try.  
BUT, a few weeks ago, while shooting, I damaged the back.  Did something STUPID and took a chunk ~ 5/16" diameter & 1/8" deep out of the back (after sanding smooth).  The limb is around 1.75" wide at this point and the damage is about 1/3 of the way from the edge-to-center of the limb.  I'd really rather not back the whole bow but will if I have to.  I read, in another TBB, about using 'combed linen' and feathering it out 2-3" away from the damage.  I can't seem to find a source on 'combed' linen anywhere...anybody know where I could get some... or any other alternatives?
THANKS!

[dutchwarbow]

I would plane 3/16" from the back, and add a 3/16" thick maple/ash backing. Why? because maple/ash should be a better backing for hickory than hickory itself, and I would like to proove it.

some arguments;

- hickory is an incredible tension strong wood
- hickory bows often get quite a bit of set; the back overpowers the belly
- because hickory seldom crysals, it should also be very compression strong,, but just not strong enough to cope with the tensile strengths.

a softer (maple/ash) backing wouldn't overpower the hickory, resulting in less set. Both maple and ash are lighter woods than hickory, so there's also a weight advantage. Less set, less weight results in a faster bow.

a damaged bow is a nice thing for experiments.

but; maybe you can trap your bow, getting rid of the damaged area, and getting rid of some weight. A nice temper will take the set out of your bow, changing it for a nice reflex. The now trapped back won't overpower the belly. this results n less set, less weight, and more speed.

you can also plane it down, temper it, then add the maple backing. It's all up to you.

Nick

[hickry]

Thanks for the thoughts Nick!  I'm not sure if I'm that sophisticated yet... maybe it's time to give something like that a try though!
Thanks again,
Alek

[ichiban]

linnen is hard 2 come by in raw forms so you could just grab some linnen thread and line them up parall over the aria or use sinew (also hard to come by in my experiance) or try something wacky and if it fails chock it up to experiance

[Steve Kendrot]

I just had to repair a ding in my first BBO. Dropped it on a rock and a tiny ding caused a splinter to lift in the bamboo after a couple weeks of shooting. I tried wrapping it with unwaxed B-50 and saturated it with superglue tonight. We'll see if it works.

[hickry]

Thanks for all the helpful hints guys.  I ended up using a little rawhide from one of last year's deer.  Made a patch about 3" long... then put one on the bottom limb too for symmetry.  May paint them or something later.  I 'heat-treated' the bow this weekend.  First time I'd done anything like that and put WAY more reflex in it than intended.  It had about 2" of set... now it has approximately 4" of reflex.  I'm REALLY scared it's gonna blow up!!!  I'll put it on my tillering 'tree'... the kind that can be drawn REMOTELY!! Oh well, you live and learn... wish me luck please!