Bendy handle crack fix?

[l979]

Good evening!
Got my first bow done a couple of days ago. It's a 63" Hickory board bow, linen backed that bends through the handle, 51# at 27. I messed up the tillering a bit and got it to bend to much in the handle, I guess I could have worked on the limbs more but but... anyways. Got this crack an inch above center, It only shows when bow is braced.
 
 
How to go about this? Remove some linen and glue some hickory backing on there? How could I get glue in to this tiny crack?
Thanks for taking your time guys!

[John Scifres]

   

     

 


   

[l979]

Nice pictures John! Is the last one sinew?

[John Scifres]

Yes, sinew.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Yours looks like a tension tear from a handle working too hard and Johns looks like a splinter lifted from a pin. Those are two different birds there. The sinew wrap may stiffen you handle up enough to keep it from happening again.

[l979]

Seems like I have to give my hunting buddies a call for sinew:) If they don't have any, would gluing 6" of hickory backing work? I would not buy sinew for this one.

[PEARL DRUMS]

An over or underlay would pop right off when the handle flexed. In my opinion, the object is to stiffen the center 6", or so, up. If you dont have sinew. Try wrapping jute twine around and around forming a 5" grip/strike plate. Then douche it with TBIII glue thoroughly. I mean really let it soak in. You'll be amazed how much stiffer that area is after a week plus. TBIII dries fast, but with the amount your using it will take at least a week. No matter how hard it feels, or how dry it feels. Leave it alone for at least a week. Thats my .02 cents, take it for what its worth!

[Roy from Pa]

Pearly boy has a good idea there...

[fujimo]

would a well feathered in handle overlay help here, and then maybe a wrap from say an inch below to an inch above the overlay, with serving thread and CA glue, then re apply the original linen backing over the handle area, with maybe a leather handle or jute wrap and titebond /floppy rest handle to cover the linen.
this is just my idea- but all the fellas above are old hands at this game- all have really good ideas!!!

like PD says it is a tension crack- surprised the bow didnt blow up.
but if it were me i would try and fix it,
i get as much enjoyment outta saving them as building them- sort of a real challenge

[Eric Krewson]

I would add a handle and make the area non bending. The key is to put several(3) 1/8" strips down first then the bulk of the handle material. Use a good glue like Urac or Unibond, rough the glue surface up, feather your fades out over about 2 1/2" and your handle won't pop off.

Like this, look at how thin the wood material in the handle area is below the added pieces. The thin wood is the result of my daydreaming when I was running my band saw. The fix was 6 years ago and still going strong.  

       

The same bow today, my late wife's bow.

   

 

One thing to remember, most of the people who tell you that it can't be done have never actually attempted such a fix and are just giving you their untested opinion.

I popped off handles right and left until I came up with a fix that worked 100% of the time. Done a bunch of these and never had a handle pop off.

[l979]

I might do a mix of the two. If I add 3/8s in strips plus some twine I'll probably have an 1 1/4- 1 1/2 deep handle. By making it a stiff handle would I still be able to make it to 27"dl? I was advised to make it a bendy or it would be difficult to get to 27". Or I could make it to 27" but I'd lose a lot of draw weight? Hickory, 63", 1 1/2 wide kind of pyramid shaped narrowing to 3/8 and 1/2 thick.
Fujimo: I don't mind this one breaking on me in fact I see it as a good thing. I rather learn from my mistakes on the first bows I make and like you I enjoy the challenge of trying to fix it. Gives me a better understanding of how the bow works and the materials used. All to the pain of the old bowyers that have patience with newbies like me.

[Eric Krewson]

If you add a couple 1/8" strips your bow will still bend some in the handle. We call these bows a "simi-bendy" handle.

[fujimo]

which is my favourite kind of bow, one that bends a little through the handle, just to spread the stress a bit.
g'luck mate

[fujimo]

which is my favourite kind of bow, one that bends a little through the handle, just to spread the stress a bit.
g'luck mate