Hi guys, I'm new and not really sure how many of you guys have built selfbows but anyway I have a question about a seflbow I built last winter. I built a 55# maple selfbow unbacked. And it has been shot quite a few times. But I think it may have developed what you call chrysals near the handle. All of the books I have read say chrysals develope in the early stages of a bows life but this bow has been shot a lot and Ive just now started to notice them. Any information about this would be much apreciated.-Thanks

Chrysals can develop at any time as the belly wood fatigues.

Should I plan on this bow breaking soon or can it hold up as long as the chrysals remain minimal?

Do they look something like this?  Eric is right.  I have had them develop after many thousands of shots on bows.  I consider them a terminal disease but life expectancy varies.  

Similar to those on your bow, but not as long and all traveling in the same direction, in about a two inch long spot near the handle.

If you love the bow enough, you can flatten the back and add a real backing, like bamboo or thin hickory, then tiller the belly to bring it back to weight and delete the faults. Of course, you then have a lam bow, not a selfbow, but at least you still have a bow. dave

Buckeye, You can shave material away from above and below the chrysals to relieve the compression that is building in that area.This will spread out the area that is working.

Is the bow flat bellied or rounded.Round bellied will have more of a tendency to chrysal.Flat bellied would indicate the area on either side may be slightly stiffer.

If the frets are limited to a relatively small area you can cover it with a rawhide patch and then wrap the works with serving thread. I learned this technique from John Strunk and have had good sucess with it.

the ones on my bow look more like a crease in a pair of pressed pants.kind of buckled up.

so is the popular thought on this "keep shooting"?

kirk

The ones on my bow look just like the ones on yours but they are in only about a 2 inch area on the belly and are all going downward and to the left, and begin right after the fadeouts of the handle.

Sorry guys I didnt realize it until now that my dad must have been on here and I just posted the exact same thing he posted in reply to Johns picture.