CR-A-A-A-CK

[Ken Carter]

Dang, what an awful sound. I was stringing my BBO and there it went...split near the end of the glued-on handle then followed the glue line. It's probably had a couple of thousand arrows shot out of it and I had planned to hunt with it this year. Don't know if I want to try another one or just buy a glass bow. Maybe a trip to MOJAM is in order to see whats available there in the way of staves, boards, ideas, etc.

[LostHawg]

Would it be possible to strip the bamboo off the back and replace it? Those BBOs are some beautiful bows. You can build your own form, just need a couple 2X4s and some rope or clamps. Get ya some adhesive from 3 Rivers or Kustom King and you should be able to go with it.

Of course, this does give you a GOOD excuse to go to Missouri. 8)

Hook up with wingnut, aka Mike Westvang, and see if he can give ya any info. He builds Dryad selfbows. You can see them on www.clearforkarchery.com. He has his own website too, www.dryadbows.com.

I hope the best comes to ya.

[LostHawg]

Any luck?

Come out here to San Angelo, 10/11th, Midsummer Meltdown TBoT shoot. James Young should be there, usually lugs along a dryad osage selfbow or two. The more to come the merrier.

[Ken Carter]

Tracy, nope haven't decided what to do. The damage is confined to the glued on handle section so it may be possible to just replace that part of the bow. I'm thinking about hanging it on the wall in my garage to remind me to use a bow stringer (I think my problem was not taking care when I strung it) and building a new one, maybe hickory backed. I sure liked the bow and can't believe I broke it. Those Dryad bows are really something. Wish I had just a little bit of that talent.

[LostHawg]

You and me both. He puts a lot of work into them. From the looks of them, I haven't gotten to shoot one, they look like they are competition for a glass backed bow. I really like the way osage looks too. And backing it with bamboo, just adds to the overall good looks, speed and quality of the bow.

As long as you bend the limbs evenly when stringing, I personally don't think a stringer is necessary. !!!BUT!!!, make sure you do it safely. A lot of folks have injured themselves stringing bows. Do you have a picture of the bow? I've got some hickory I'll be working on in the fall. Looking forward to making it into something. I am addicted to looking at any and all pictures of selfbows I can, hoping to learn something. If it's only on the handle, you should be able to wrap it or something. I've heard you can sinew wrap a lot of injuries to a selfbow and keep it shootable. I guess backing can save a lot of bows that would be otherwise firewood.

I know how attached one can get to a certain bow. Sorry for your displeasure.