Heat vs. Steam

[oakfall]

I want to flip the tips on my lastest HHB bow and I see most use heat. Steam would seem more effective. Yes?

Thanks,
oak

[crooketarrow]

  Dry wood heat
  Green wood steam

[Sidewinder]

What crooked arrow says is the conventional wisdom. I read a response to a post recently however by Marc St.Louis and he remarked to someone that was having a hard time getting one of the white woods ( don't remember which) to accept the bends and Marc said that he steams his recurve tips on white woods. You might search that and confirm it. I think it has to do with the short length of the tip and the white woods properties that makes it call for steam in that scenario. I know I had a bit of a prob with hickory accepting dry heat to create enough bend on some flipped tips. Osage responds well to dry heat amd bending.   I would PM Marc if I were you and confirm it before I did anything. He is very knowledgable and helpful. Danny

[half eye]

For what it's worth, I only use steam for my bending needs.
rich

[osage outlaw]

I tried using dry heat to flip the tips on a HHB bow.  The stave was at least 8 years old, so it was good and dry.  The belly cracked on it.  Now I am cutting it down and making a bow for my daughter out of it.  I think if I had used steam, it might have worked out better.  I wasn't even going for an aggressive bend.

[IndianGuy]

dry heat takes patience and practice, You could always use a little lard or grease with your heat as well.
Eric