hickory self bow problems

[josef2424]

I have been working on a hickory selfbow for a while. But the growth rings are extremely thin, so it makes getting one ring to run the whole back of the bow seem near impossible. I am now wondering if sinew backing the bow will cover up flawed areas. But seeing that I have never sinew backed a bow before, I know I will have a lot more questions. But my main question at the moment is: how much will 2 or 3 layers of leg sinew cover up?

[Dano]

First thing, when using hickory, you don't chase a ring. The back is just under the bark, under the cambium. Second I wouldn't sinew it to try and save it, I would back it with rawhide, silk or linen.

[Pat B]

What Dano said!   You can also back it with grocery bag paper. Hickory is pretty tough stuff. You might get by without a backing. I have used hickory backing strips that had violations and never had one break.

[Eric Krewson]

I have made a bunch of grain violated on the back hickory bows and never had one fail.

[Dano]

True, you can get away with some violations, but if it were me, I wouldn't depend on it un-backed.

[Pat B]

If you feel uncomfortable with the bow being unbacked, it is easy enough to add a simple cloth, rawhide of paper backing.

[ChristopherO]

A Hickory Board Bow has a violated back from the get go and I've not had one break, yet.  Not that I've made many but a few that are very strong.

[Roy Steele]

Hickory is one of favored bow woods and I've built at least 15 unbacked bows.Some had violated rings that were great bows.
  If your worryed back it but sinew is a long drawen out messy job thats not nessary with hickory.
  My all time favorite bow was a hickory with violat rings that was barnished.

[josef2424]

Thanks for all the helpful pushes in the right direction. I am very glad to hear that a violated ring isn't a problem for hickory, and I have never heard of backing a bow with paper bags or cloth, (if that shows how new I am to this) but i'll give the bow some kind of backing.

[George Tsoukalas]

Back it with linen silk or burlap. I don't like the backs of my bows to have  violated rings.    Jawge

[Scout Two Feathers]

Could someone post a picture of what a "violated rings" might look like on hickory, its the only wood I use for bows {I've made three so far}. So its possible I've got a violation..

Hey Josef2424, what part of Alpharetta you in, I moved from there just four years ago, lived on Hopewell Road.


Two Feathers

[josef2424]

Ok. I peeled the bark off of a different hickory stave. So does that mean the wood I see is a growth ring that doesnt need any altering?

[Dano]

Once you scrape the cambium off you have your back, you can leave a little for a nice camo effect if you like.

[josef2424]

Im sorry I'm not completely grasping this. So are you saying the cambium will not come off with the bark when the bark is peeled off?

[Pat B]

It may or it may not.

[ALW]

It hasn't come off of the hickory that I've peeled the bark off of.  When the bark is first removed it looks really white on the surface.  If the cambium layer is still on there it takes a few days and the back will turn a brownish orange color.  That's the cambium layer.  I think if you took something like a scotchbrite pad to the back right after you peel the bark the cambium would come off.  But some like a little left on the finished bow for camo.  I just sand it down with coarse sandpaper once I get the bow layed out.

Aaron

[Pennsyltuckey pete]

Here is a pic of the back of a hickory stave that I am working on.  The dark brown is the last layer of material to be taken off to expose the back.  I leave a little on to act as a natural camo.

 

pete

[josef2424]

THANK YOU. I finally got all of my questions answered. You guys are the best!