Woe's of selfbow's

[Osagetree]

Here's what happens when you get in a hurry!

Been working on the broken one for about three full days. The other is one I made last time around.

 

Must have gotten a bit to much with he heat bending while trying to straighten out this side way's warped stave.

Before;
 

After;
 

Ah,,, the woe's of selfbows.............


THE END
 

[John C Keith]

Sorry to see your broken bow.  I fear putting long and hard work into a bow and having this happen.  I would ball my eyes out if that happened to me.  Guess I will be sticking to buying other peoples work for now.

Best of Luck.

[Pat B]

Find you a broke yew bow and do like Too Short!     Pat

ps. I have heard that you need to let the wood rehydrate for a few days before stressing the limbs. Could that be what happened? I have never heat treated a bow so I don't know.

[Dano]

Yep, that much heat treatment, ya maybe shoulda let it re-hydrate, everybody breaks one now and again.

[Osagetree]

I waited 6 days after heating. There were about eight pin knots in that area. When I was straightening the stave, I felt at one point I pushed it a little to far when bending. I am pretty sure that is the point at which it failed.

Not my first, not my last! Just running out of good wood if you couldn't tell.

[ChristopherO]

Osage,
What are you using to heat treat your bows with?  Sorry about the loss of the work.  I'm getting a start in this business, myself, so I know the frustration and satisfaction in working on them, too.

[Osagetree]

I use an electric heat gun. Used to use steam them, but seemed to get checks after, when drying out.

[bentpole]

To bad Bud! That was some sharp lookin bow too.

[The Singing Bowyer]

Breaking will always be a part of building...

I like to use a little deer grease when heating with the heat gun. It seems to help it from getting too brittle.

[Shaun]

OT I know your pain. Broke my first osage piece recently but have also broken plenty of yew and cedar. I save my busted ones and study them to learn what gives out. My osage break happened at a small cluster of pin knots that were close to the edge. I had cut through some of the grain that swirls around the knots when shaping. It was also a tortured piece that had been forced into line with heat. Keep at it and keep learning.

[4runr]

Sorry about that Bro.

Go huntin a little bit, that'll help you forget about it.

[mmgrode]

Breakin' bows is part of bowbuilding...I can tell you that for sure. I can also tell you that I learn more from the broken ones than the ones that turned out, but they also give me a bigger headache especially when you've been working on them for a while.  How far into tillering did you have this one?

[Dingus]

There is still a bow there!  A kids bow!  Save that long piece and give it to one of the "uncles" at OJAM and some 10 year old will go home with a new bow and many happy memories.
Dingus

[George Tsoukalas]

Yup. That's why I've learned to love the journey. Jawge

[the Ferret]

Those sideways curves like that are hard to correct Joe. Was that osage cut on a hill? The   two side splits will do what yours did.

[Osagetree]

I had it at about brace height in tillering with the long string. Then I tried to string it at brace with a string that was apperently too short. Just got to rushing it, and blew it trying to string it using the step through method. I knew better, but still did it. SNAP!

Not the first one I've broken mind you,,, just needed a little sympothy on this one.

No, it's not a kids bow as it will hang above my bench as a reminder to not get stupid after a few good days work.

Well Mickey, you've made that clear to me before, but hillsides is all I had to choose from. The good stuff is about gone, so I'm trying to get what I can out of what I have left.

Thanks for all the sympothy and George T.,,, that's why I'm not giving up even on the twisted, bug eaten, thin ringed osage that remains in my wood rack.

[bluegill]

Hey Joe,

Well you are not alone my friend. I just had a black locust selfbow blow, I knew it would eventually but was hoping to finish out the deer season with it and retiring it. Instead I muffed a chance at a dandy 8 point at 15 yds and the bow called it quits on me the next day at the target range. So now I am scrambling on getting familiar with my back up bow.

Sean

[Osagetree]

Sorry to hear that bluegill.

I may have to cut some locust this year if'n I don't get a line on more osage.

[bowhunterksb32]

I saw my brother this past weekend and i forogt to ask him about the osage.I 'm not exaxtcly sure where it is at but once i find out I'll get a hold of you.

It may be to late though,I forgot to ask him about it earlier in the summer. Where ever it was the guy was wanting it cut down bad. I'll try to get a hold of him next week when he comes over to  for gun season.

[4runr]

Hey Scott! How ya been?