Question on bending hickory

[bearbowman]

I'd like to try putting a slight recurve on the end of my hickory flatbow limbs. It is my understanding that hickory really holds the moisture. So my question is, would you recommend using dry heat?

I've never bent a limb before so I need all the help I can get.

Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks, Bob

[yazoo]

use dry heat for sure, go slow and be careful, heat well, as not to splinter the belly,

[bearbowman]

How do I know when it is hot enough?

[Pappy]

Haven't had much luck bending Hickory with heat ,at least not a steep bend,I would steam it or
boil it for about an hour and have everything ready before you start ,you have to do it fast.I have
used heat with some success but you have to be prepaired for it to break or splinter up with heat.
Then let it set a few days in a good dry place after you steam it. You can put normal back set in hickory just fine with heat.Just rub it down with cooking oil and it work great.
   Pappy

[backwoods]

I just bent my first limbs. It is a hickory board bow an they did not have any trouble. Pat B said to seal the part of the limb you were going to steam then steam it for 1 hour an run to your form. I left mine clamped for a whole day I dont know if you have to or not.Good Luck

[Pat B]

I have used dry heat on hickory recurves with mixed results. I think if I were to recurve another hickory bow I would steam or boil it. The shellac coating will help keep most of the moisture out of the already dry wood.
   The folks that make hickory bent wood chairs boil or steam green hickory. That might be the best bet for recurving hickory.

[Badger]

  I tend to agree with Pat on the hickoy, I have better luck steaming for about an hour. I use dry heat for very gently bends on hickoy but not full recurves. Might be a good idea to seal also. I have gotten minor checking when boiling. Steve

[salad days]

I just steamed my first hickory about a month ago and had big troubles with it. I wish I had done the shellac move cuz it ended up getting a split right up the middle of one limb that went about half way deep into the belly. A couple weeks went by while I thought about how to proceed and about 3/4 of the bend relaxed out. It went from a recurve to a very slightly reflex tip longbow just sitting on the workbench. Also, I only steamed for half an hour and ran to my form and it was starting to harden up before I got all my clamps on.

[Ryano]

Yep, for any kind of steep bends I recommend steam. Sealing the wood first is a good idea.

[Hillbilly]

I've never had much luck doing serious bends on whitewoods with dry heat-osage and locust, yes- but whitewoods and dry heat just don't work for me. I would steam it.

[Hickoryswitch]

I've had much the same luck as everyone else. White woods and dry heat don't do well for serious bends. The only way I have gotten good results with hickory is steam. With heat it tends to crack once it's hot enough to bend. I've almost ruined two bows this way luckily I didn't try to force it and saved them.

[bambule]

I had good luck when using the "gravity"-method - just place a weight on the upper limb and heat the other one in the form - the limb will bend because of the gravity -  belongs on the weight how deep it goes. Works well for me and there are no cracks because no human is pressing the limb.

[artcher1]

Steam to bend, dry heat to set said bend.  For slight bends use a spray bottle filled with water and spray and heat as you go. Once the wood is bent and all the water is heated/evaporated out of the wood just heat treat your bend. Haven't had any problems using that method.

ART B

[Hillbilly]

Art, that's good info-thanks. I've never thought of trying to temper a steamed bend with dry heat, but it makes sense. I'll have to try that.

[bearbowman]

i'm starting to think maybe I should just leave the bow the way it is. I didn't hit my weight and I thought if I recurved the limbs a little I'd get a little back.