Bad hickory or linen for backing hickory

[l979]

Hey!
I'm building a hickory bow and started the tillering process. I'm getting a little weary about the back and want to put some backing on it. The only hickory I find at the stores got quite a lot of runoffs or knots. Should I just go for linen?

[Pat B]

Go with the linen.

[John Scifres]

I hope you mean wary or leery.  If you are already weary, you might have a long road ahead  

Why do you think you need to back it?  Backing with "bad" anything is not a good idea.  Depending on your reason for backing, linen may or may not be the best choice.

Got pics?

[LittleBen]

Yeah pics would help.

Could also think about rawhide or sinew depending ont he design etc. Pics would help alot though.

Never done rawhide but I imagine it would be quite simple to do.

[l979]

Wary it is   ! It's my first bow and just don't want it to break. It got some runoffs and knots on the back. Knots are about 7" from knock. I took some pics of the back. Pardon the focus I don't get this camera. 63" long, 1 1/2 fading to 3/8s wide and at the moment 1/2" thick( if it matters).
 
 
 
 

[John Scifres]

Making selfbows is all about wood selection.  That's not a good piece.  I'd chalk this one up to experience and not spend much more time and material on it.  Go find a good board or stave and make a good bow.  No sense making your first one a heartbreaker.

Unless you draw 25", that bow's too short.  And unless you are going to make a 40# bow, it's too narrow.

Make a full draw (28") hickory 66-68" and a 50#+ 1-3/4"-2" wide.

[okie64]

Knots, boards and bows dont mix well. The grain is probably ok but theres a pretty good chance it will lift a splinter around those knots. You could probably get away with that length and width if you let it bend through the handle but otherwise it is too short and narrow for a normal draw length.

[l979]

Thanks guys for your input!
Sorry, I meant the knot is on the belly not the back. I was getting impatient waiting for a good piece and had to cut the board a little short because of a big knot. I went for the Flat bow design at Archery library, which lay it out narrower then I have but it says nothing about draw weight and figured the first one is a learning experiment. My draw length is 27.5 and might never get there with this one but that is fine, I can give it away.
So if I have it bend through the handle could I get to maybe 27? I'd be fine with that. And if the knots are on the belly and left side with some linen backing this could maybe make a bow?