I finally got my shop organized and decided to work on a mulberry stave I purchased a couple of years ago from Angelo. While exercising the bow after shaving some wood off of the limbs, BAMB!! The bottom limb snapped in half about a third of the way from the handle. I sat down staring at  the bow pieces in my lap trying to figure out what went wrong. I still am not sure what caused the break.   :confused:  That is life when you try to build selfbows.

There were a lot of lessons learned from this stave. I learned how to chase a ring. I learned that Eric Krewsons tillering gizmo is the cats meow. What a great tool!!! I also learned that there is a lot of support from other Trad Gangers. Mark Baker had given me some pointers and encouragement last spring at the Boise show. Hey Mark, it took me long enough to get back to working on this stave.

I am a little disappointed about breaking the red mulberry, but that will not keep me from tryng again. I have a few more staves sitting around that I may start making shavings with tonight. I have a Dryad blank, but lost the dvd and should be getting another early next week. I will not touch that blank until I watch that video at least one more time. I will keep you posted.

Shawn

What's the use of doing something where you don't know the limitations.
Better to find out early and know where ya can go, then to find out when it really count's where ya can't go. You cannot take back the last straw that broke the Camels back. Sounds like to learned alot very early.

Did you violate the rings any? I'm trying to figure out if this was a tension break or compression failure. If the back was not violated, I would hazard a guess that you hinged the limb pretty badly and it broke in compression. If that is not the case, I'd ask how you stored the stave. The stave could have been over-dried and its Moisture Content could have been dangerously low.

Shawn,
Sorry to hear about that.... some bows just make special campfires!  We got to get together again for some stumping or target shooting, I have to show you my newest bow that I made.
Mike

Shamus, This stave definitely did not have a hinge. I do believe you might have something with it being too dry. I will try to make some time to measure the stave this evening with my moisture meter.

Mike, that sounds like a plan. I will call you this weekend. By the way, are you going to make it to the Idaho Traditional Bowhunters meeting this Wednesday? It is being held at the Falcon Tavern on Idaho street.Hope to see you there.

Shawn

I checked the moisture content of the broken stave today. It could not even read the moisture content. I verified that the meter was working properly.

This brings up a couple of questions.

1) If your stave is extremely dry, what can be done to rehydrate the stave?

2) What could I have done to have prevented this from happening in the first place? Would sealing the roughed out stave have helped?

I am concerned about some of the other staves I have lying around the shop and garage.

Shawn