Advice on crooked bow limb

[ajbruggink]

Heh guys,

I have this roughed out red elm stave that I have been having a trouble getting one crooked end straight. I have tried boiling it twice and steaming it once to try to get the crooked end straight and it still will not straighten anymore than this. Will this amount of crookedness be okay to make a bow out of as it is or do I have to try straightening it some more? Your advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Aaron

[Pat B]

See how it looks at low brace(when ready). Under tension is the only way to tell how the string tracks.

[stuckinthemud]

As long as the string lines up with the handle you're good to go, although if the string is nearer the left or right side of the handle it will decide which limb is the top one.

[Swamp Thang]

I recently gad this happen on a bow couldn't get the limbs to budge so I steamed the handle like stuck said as long as the string lines up you'll be alright

[leonwood]

That will easily straighten out with a good heat treating. Tiller to brace or a little more to see the amount you need to shift. Clamp belly up to a 2x4 (you can add some reflex as well) and bend a little further then needed and heat for 30 minutes with a heat gun.

[leonwood]

update: check Simon's wide limb osage thread, he does exactly as I do for straightening: http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,60854.15.html