My uncle started this bow and gave it to me to finish. I believe it is mulberry...I'd have to ask him to be certain. My question is whether or not a rawhide backing would suffice or should I use sinew? Thanks for the advice.
(http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/736/1002151.jpg) (http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/5074/1002150g.jpg) (http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/428/1002146o.jpg) (http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/9162/1002154c.jpg)
If it were me I would leave it as is "Natural back" and tiller it in nice and slow. You will have a hard time getting sinew or rawhide to stay down around the bumps. I think it would hold togther like she is. But I haven't worked mullbery just, judging from the back
Nice looking character in that stave! I would follow Keenans advice for sure.
That makes sense to me. However, my uncle has already roughed up the back in preparation for a backing. Can I just smooth it back out?
How long is it? What kind of draw length and weight are you wanting out of it?
if it's mulberry it probably has thick rings. If they are thick then you could sand them smooth.
Thanks to all for the replies. I talked to my uncle tonight and confirmed the bow is red mulberry. I think it is somewhere between 63 and 66 inches long, but I will measure it tomorrow. I would like to get it to 28" and somewhere in the neighborhood of 50#.
Clean up the islands around the knots as sugested and get to tillering. No backing needed in my opinion. Those knots on the back will look cool on the finished product.