We are planning on going to the Arkansas Spring Longbow shoot so hopefully my wife will be able to shoot with the other ladies. She is having a large tumor removed as well as some other stuff on an attempt to prevent more cancer type issues. That will be on the 15th of this month.
Anyways, I had a short longbow that she could shoot, She is short and weak so it was around 25 pounds or so. The last event she was just too sick to do anything and crashed a lot in the truck and the motel.
Her bow was osage with bamboo backing plus it was made from 2 short pieces of osage that I had. I joined the two pieces with over lapping side joints in the grip and doweled them together with glue.
I will be the first to say that it was not the prettiest bow but it shot fine. This was something that I had never done and was just trying to make a bow with what I had. By the time I got it tillered, I only had a few bows under my belt back then, it was very low poundage.
In fact, I looked at it as being a bigger kid's bow but then found that my 4'10" wife could just shoot it, so it became hers. It was about 62" long and she loved it.
So, this morning, I strung it and had her shooting it just to make sure that she was still able to. On the sixth shot, I heard a very distinct crack and my head jerked around to see that it was still together, the osage broke at a knot about eight inches from the tip on the upper limb. The bamboo was the only thing holding it together.
Made me sick as soon as I heard it and then saw it. My wife was ready to shoot another shot when I stopped her. Made it 3 years ago or more but it is what it is. Out of wood for a light bow, so may have to lighten up one of my Bendy bows for her to be able to shoot this spring.
Just about ran out of bows and down to mainly to a couple hunting bows but still have plenty of time to figure something out. I just know that a great many of you have heard the dreaded crack sound yourselves. And this isn't my first one, maybe 5th one and I still don't like it but it is what it is and it happens. I had been worried about that knot and I should have wrapped it but just never got to it. Live and learn LOL.
