Is This Bow on It's Way To Bow Heaven?

[Japes4]

This bow is 50# at 25" draw. It is a pyramid design that is 64" NTN, 2.5" wide tapered to 0.5". On a side note, I have come across some Ipe very cheap...thinking I'm going to do a White Oak backed Ipe bow for my next one (no hickory or boo around for backing without having to special order).

[LittleBen]

I think you have frets, at least they look like frets to me .... hard to tell from the picture .. .I guess they could possibly be tool marks but I doubt it.

Frets will feel raised up, even if tiny, you can feel them with your nail ... another give away is they are more raised when the bow is strung then when unstrung.

I think part of the issue is the quality of the oak board. I think those dimensions are reasonable for a red oak board bow for that weight and draw length and I think you tiller looks pretty clean. The board however, appears to have very thin rings and too much of the open porous wood (latewood?) so it's not as dense as some other red oak boards.
When I look for a red oak board I will only buy one with perfectly straight grain AND with very thick rings (1/4"thick minimum, 3/8" or 1/2" is better) AND very thin latewood ... less than 1mm, the thinner the better. These boards will feel noticably heavier, because they are much more dense.

I often leave HD with no boards ... but if I take one home I know its going to be a decent board.

[George Tsoukalas]

Tiller is pretty good.
Did you reflex the tips?
What is the bow length?
What is the bow weight?
What is the non bending handle area.
It is not the wood. Red oak is a viable wood of you design the bow around the wood.
I typically make bend in the handle red oak bows with now glue on pieces.
Don't draw it anymore until you get back to me with the answers and I will suggest a fix.
Eventually, a chrysalled bow will just fold up on itself.
Jawge

[George Tsoukalas]

You could try gluing o a piece of rawhide over the chrysalls. Jawge

[Wallis Wetzel]

I built a selfbow out of birch, and there are tons of chrysals in the belly in both limbs.  Long and short, the bow is over ten years old, no problems at all.