straightening an Osage warbow

[bershirebowmen]

Hi,
 I thought I'd have a go at steaming straight my first warbow. It's a self Osage originally tillered to a draw weight of 85@28" that can draw to 30" (bowyer's specs) but draws comfortably to 31"  (feels like it could draw further), I just weighed the bow and happy to say it is just over 100@31", I can't remember how many years I've had the bow and its had a fair few arrows out of it  . It has a very nice arc at full draw but has taken a lot of set in the centre, the limbs are still relatively straight, so I'm thinking of steaming the bow straight followed by tempering this area with a heatgun. The set occured pretty much from the first few arrows I shot and has not really increased much. The bow is 74&1/2" in length n2n. It takes very little effort to string the bow.
Just wondered if there is any thoughts on the worth of doing this, and is it best to leave for a while before following with the tempering?, I got my steamer and form ready to start, setting it up now. (Thanks to Del for the steam straightening YouTube vid, great set up )
Berkman.

[bershirebowmen]

Oh dear, just removed the hand wrap and found this on the south end , don't know how deep it is. It's on the side and nearest the back of the bow. Perhaps not a good idea now. Is there anything I can or should do here? Would tight binding with epoxy resin and linen thread be a solution? (Sand that edge down and see how deep it goes?) Or is it not a problem to be concerned with? The back seems unaffected at present.
( the edges are brown and I've never taken the wrap off so I imagine it's pretty old). It's also the main area in need of straightening.
Thanks for any advice/opinion on the way forward.
Berkman.

[Badger]

  I would imagine if you don't retiller the outer limbs it will go back to taking set in the middle of the bow. When we speak of how far we can draw a bow I don't think in terms of stack or failure as much as I do when a bow starts to take set. So in your case the 31" was probably too far for that particular bow and the way it was tillered.

[bershirebowmen]

Thanks Badger for the reply,
When I initially got the bow I don't reckon I was even getting it back to 28". It was the first warbow I commissioned and was moving up from a 74@28 laminate.  I was moving from gnas style and got into the heavier side of bows on my own so didn't have much idea about drawing styles e.t.c or I would of ordered different specs, although I've had a few 31" arrows from it in more recent years the arrows I have for this are 30&1/2" and use them for target..so probably I draw them about 30".
Maybe 28" is the max, so straightening and retillering the limbs the way forward. O.k, a bit more work than planned for. Thanks again, that makes sense.
(This post edited)

Berkman.

[Del the cat]

+1 on what Badger said..
I've refurbished a few by combining steam or dry heat straightening with heat treating the belly and re-tillering, to stop it just taking the set again.
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=refurb
I'm a bit confused about where that crack/ splinter is... belly back or side? It looks like it needs patching to me.
Never done it on a warbow, but the bow in the link had been overdrawn like yours (a foolish moment of idle curiosity... daft to take a 70" longbow to 32" draw )
Del

[bershirebowmen]

I've been looking at that today on your blogspot Del, that's what gave me the idea to do this one.
It looks like an old crack, (maybe always been there, I can't think how else the edges could of oxidized) because the edges are dark and have always been covered with a thick plastic sticky wrap and sticky gaffer  tape under the leather wrap, it looks like its pinched at the south end of the crack where it goes off at a right angle and shows in the varnish, the north end of the crack looks stable as its end has a brown edge. Its not a splinter and the back seems sound. Here's a pic, its the opposite side of the arrow pass. That area is mottled darker wood so presumably remnants of a knotted area it was cut fromso a harder wood area, i tried another pic close up. (The lines running across the centre of the crack are glue remnants of the sticky tape.)
Bottom limb is facing south in the pictures and the back is to the right.

[Del the cat]

Got it, so it's mostly running longitudinally...
basically back to what Badger said
Del

[bershirebowmen]

Cool, i take that as not being an issue  .
Many thanks,
Berkman.
(This post edited)

[DC]

It has a very nice arc at full draw but has taken a lot of set in the centre,

Is it possible it is the crack that caused this?

[bershirebowmen]

Aha, after removing loose wood and taking it down a fair amount it looks like it was cracking and a splinter flap off a buried deep naturally flawed area/inclusion. (?) A lot of loose crumbly stuff to come out and a black crispy loose layer.It well may off collapsed somewhat and caused the set under the handle, the top limb set does kicks in higher up the limb in comparison. Something waiting to happen from day one really, and probably more lurking deeper. It's liable to come away from anywhere on that black line, I'll probably not bother with it now.
That black line should of been an indication something was going on there.
(Bottom limb south in pic)
Berkman.