What to do

[Onehair]

A good friend gave me a piece of Osage and I am ruffing out a bow. There is a hole running through the handle section and a hairline crack as well.
Any suggestions as to how to proceed.[/url] [/IMG]

[John Scifres]

It'll be fine as long as you make it so that it does not bend in the handle and fades at all.  i.e. Keep it thick.

Both knots are punky so I would scrape all the old rotten limb material out and then decide if I wanted to fill them with a sawdust superglue mix.  I am inclined to leave them as-is most of the time.

[Onehair]

I would like to leave as is but if you notice the crack that connects the 2 knots bugs me.I may fill that with superglue. Thanks

[Bowjunkie]

Yep, I'd glue it for sure.

[Pat B]

I'd glue the crack with super glue, sawdust and super glue for the knots.

[Onehair]

I have cleaned it out and the punk runs from knot to knot. Might make a good whistle

[PEARL DRUMS]

That doesn't look like a knot as much as it looks like the pith line that is left over.

[Pat B]

If that's the case, it is an old pith it might be worth finding a same size dowel to glue in or even cutting a clean "V" groove from end to end and filling with a similar shaped fillet...or grind it flat below that old pith and add a riser lam...if there is enough meat above.

[Onehair]

I cleaned it out and mixed a combo of Urac and saw Osage saw dust. I made it soupy, wrapped in cellophane then laid the bow belly down so that the glue would flow down and fill the hair line crack. If that fails, I will cut and lam.