First Osage longbow. Should I recurve tips and why?? Recurve Vs Streight?

[Capt]

Ok, so my Osage is nearly here.... It's stuck with Mexican customs and import at the moment... 

I've been doing quite a bit of thinking about what kind of bow to go for and thanks to advice from the forum and doing quite a lot of research I'm thinking to go for a center shot flatbow.

I'm quite sure I don't want to recurve the tips but think i want to go for putting some reflex into it before tillering.

ive been told and have read that the heat treatment will reduce the amount of set that the bow will take...? And that Osage flat bows shoot incredibly well when slightly reflexed rather than being 100% straight? Is this true ?

Would love some opinions on this?

Examples of bows would be great!!!

[Joec123able]

Go ahead put some reflex in the tips it isn't that hard to do if ya got the materials heck you could go out into the woods make a fire heat the tip up wedge it between two trees growing right close togeather and bend the reflex in so you really don't need anything but of course they might not come out symmetrical if you do tht

[sleek]

I did my first recurves with a charcoal fire from my grill and bent them over the toe of my steel toed boot. Just sayin...

[blackhawk]

This is all hypothetical talk and pretty meaningless until you actually have the stave in front of your face  ...I can't say either way until I see it and what would be best for that piece of wood

[mikekeswick]

Yes it's all swings and roundabouts until you see the wood. Not all staves will make a good recurve but most will make a good flat longbow. 
My 3rd bow was a sinew backed osage recurve. I took a lot of time on it and she is still a great shooter...originally 63#@28 and shoots about 170fps with 10 grains per lb. It can be done! There is no magic to bow making!
My advice is to forget about centershot...as a concept it works but is far from necessary. The way I see it centershot cutaways don't really sit well on selfbows and you are making a large weak spot that needs to be compensated for with added thickness....but each to his own 

[BowEd]

Capt.........All of your questions will get answered in time.By you really.You can take things to the extent you want.Sounds like you might want to get the best out of a piece of wood and that's great.That's where you're really gonna learn & get disappointed occasionally too,but just be honest with yourself and your wood and you''ll be ok.
You might want to look for access to the north of ya or where ever for some more hedge.Or make it to the Tennessee Classic or Ojam or Mojam.Like your enthusiasum.

[dwardo]

Wood actually does grow on trees so go for it 
I started out with working recurves before playing with statics. Not sure if that's the right way round or not but they are all fun and challenging. Not to mention the pure aesthetics.

[Capt]

This is all hypothetical talk and pretty meaningless until you actually have the stave in front of your face  ...I can't say either way until I see it and what would be best for that piece of wood

Thanks everyone for the feedback...

Blackhawk - great advice, that's kinda what was in my mind when I mentioned letting the wood become the bow it wants to be and becoming one with the wood..

Beadman - also many thanks, very wise words in your post... I believe I'm very lucky to have stumbled upon this forum and be gaining uncheck wisdom from you guys...

Also thanks to everyone else that has commented and contributed to my learning curve... Thanks for sharing your expertise. I'm looking real forward to sharing the fruits of my labour and the combined wisdom with you all...

Bests to everyone

Capt Rob

[blackhawk]

Cool man...when ya get your stave make sure to post pics of it....some required pics to see if its recurve worthy would be end cut showing growth rings and its ratio....side profile..front profile,and any mention of knots and the location of them....and knots in a location where a static recurve bend is to be made is a no no....