bending black locust

[skyriverprimate]

Hi all. This is my first post but I have been getting tons of good info off of here. I have a piece of black locust thats floor tillered and I want to bend some recurved tips. I was just wondering if I should use steam or dry heat. haven't done any bending and I'm a little nervous about it.

[Hillbilly]

Locust usually bends easily like osage. For minor corrections I use dry heat, but for bending major recurves I like steam. Seal the back of the area you're steaming with glue or shellac before putting the steam to it or you can get some drying checks.

[bigcountry]

Locust usually bends easily like osage. For minor corrections I use dry heat, but for bending major recurves I like steam. Seal the back of the area you're steaming with glue or shellac before putting the steam to it or you can get some drying checks.

does that go for osage too?  I just steamed in some reflex in my tips on my osage bow, and I didn't seal the back.  Should I?  Or did I get lucky?  That would suck to get a check on a bow that is almost complete.

I am starting to learn that bow making is not a hobby of attachment

[radius]

not a hobby of attachment...you said it, man! 

I have broken almost as many as I've had come through to "life"...i just pick up the pieces, take 'em out to the truck or the curb or wherever...then get to work on the next...

it's a beautiful thing...

[recurve shooter]

lol. i have become all to familier with the carrieing off of pieces of stave. speaking of that me and my step bro are about to go look for some more staves. later.