Snakewood blues

[Kirkll]

Have any of you guys worked with snakewood before? I've only built a couple of snakewood bows now, and had issues with the wood checking badly the first time.  This riser block has been bone dry for years, and is giving me micro check madness!.... The damn stuff acts like Gaboon Ebony in that it develops micro cracks after finish sanding and hanging in the spray booth over night. Yes...i've checked the MC level and its bone dry...

i typically have good luck filling these micro checks with water thin super glue and using the the super glue as a sanding sealer... Lacquer sanding sealer don't cut it on this stuff...

But this one seems never ending... i've already sealed this riser once, and it opened up new cracks over night again...   

For anyone considering using this material in the future, I think i might recommend having this material stabilized even though its hard as stone already... this stuff is like sanding concrete.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/XTzb11DknD3HgP2p6

[Bivyhunter]

I've used it a lot over the years, probably over 100 bows. The past few years, I've really tried to distance myself from it for the same reasons; sick of dealing with the cracks. I don't think that stabilizing it would help much. It is so dense that I don't think much, if any, of the cactus juice would penetrate and I think the higher heat needed to cure it would only exacerbate the cracking problems.

[Buemaker]

Perhaps the wood gets warm when using sanders and cracking happens. Then again using hand tools is not easy.

[Kirkll]

I've used it a lot over the years, probably over 100 bows. The past few years, I've really tried to distance myself from it for the same reasons; sick of dealing with the cracks. I don't think that stabilizing it would help much. It is so dense that I don't think much, if any, of the cactus juice would penetrate and I think the higher heat needed to cure it would only exacerbate the cracking problems.

You may be right about trying to stabilize it. The damn stuff is So expensive any more, I doubt I’ll build any more bows with it.

I finally got it finished yesterday after finding two more cracks in the belly ramp caps. Even the thin limb butt overlays checked after a night in the spray booth in 75 degree temp. Nasty stuff to work with.

I’ll post some finished photos in the next couple days.   Kirk

[Kirkll]

A few finished photos….

[Crooked Stic]

VERY UNSTABLE. COST TOO MUCH

[Kirkll]

The first one I built about 10 years ago hasn’t got a check in it… but… getting it all sealed and finished is not easily done.   Kirk

[Bryan Adolphe]

Very nice Kirk ….. I could see that grain could be a challenge! Well done.

[BigJim]

I no longer offer snakewood in my bows due to the cracking issues. I had two limbs delam with it as well.

The only bow with snakewood that didn't come back was the only one I stabilized. I doubt it took much resin, but apparently it was enough to help. I've never had one crack until months after delivery though.
BigJim

[Longcruise]

Never used snakewood and happy to have seen this topic.  It's so pretty but not wanting to deal with it per the comments here.

[chefrvitale]

It turned out really nice, great job.

[Kirkll]

I believe it was Blacktail Bows that used to build a lot of snakewood bows years ago. Norm Johnson was the master bowyer who lived in the Pacific NW. Never hear much about them anymore. He did some pretty fancy stuff in his day.

This snakewood behaves much like Gaboon Ebony, in that it develops micro checks very easily. That is another one to stay away from that will come back to haunt you...


Kirk