Bending WoodOk

[longbow man]

Ok. Here it is. The question I am likely to get burned on. Ask a bowyer or a woodworker or a shipwright and you might get different answers. Which method should I use to bend wood? Steam or heat? I've used both and I could have just tried one. I have 3 different wood staves for which to consider. The primary wood I am working with now is hickory. I also have mullberry and black locust. Kinda like a question presented around a campfire. Who,s first?

[Joec123able]

I always use steam no matter what wood type steam works much better in my opinion. I've used dry heat a few times and I always get a crack with steam I rarely get a crack

[Newindian]

Dry heat for dry wood, wet heat for green wood, and occasionally for more extreme bending.

[Danzn Bar]

ditto what newindian said...............

[longbow man]

  Thanks guys. Dry heat for dry wood...I like that. Keeps it simple.

[Pat B]

A lot depends on the wood you use. I use dry heat(with veg oil to prevent scorching) on osage, locust, mulberry or yew. For whitewoods I would use steam. If your whitewood is dry coat the area to be steamed with shellac to prevent checking(drying cracks) when it releases the moisture introduced by the steaming.

[longbow man]

  I used crisco years ago on my osage stave to bend it without scorching it. I had a really twisty stave and read that osage liked heat. I have not used much whitewood so was in a quandry as how to start. Just wondered if I should build the steambox I have been thinking of for a few years. I appreciate the time you took to answer me Pat and thanks for the info from Joec. New to the forum and what I sent him did not show.

[jpayne]

I've got an osage bow that doesn't line up tips and handle I've left it thick in the handle area before I try to straitening it was wondering if i should steam it and clamp it down or use dry heat the handle is about 1 3/4 thick and wide. the string lays beside the handle. I have read that this makes it more center shot. straightening mostly for aesthetic purposes.

[crooketarrow]

  It dosn't matter about wood type. WHITE OR HARD WOODS
  What dose matter is
  DRY HEAT ON SEASONED WOOD.
  STEAM ON GREEN WOOD.
  Any heat damages the wood cells.
  Trick is to heat with enough wood left on, that after the been you can rasp away the damaged cells. (OUTER WOOD LAYERS)
  This is why your told never to heat the bows back. Damage those (BACK) wood cells. YOUR BOW WILL COLLECT MORE SET AND STRING FOLLOW. IT'S LIKEY YOUR BOW WILL END UP IN THE STOVE.