62" OSAGE CURVE....SINEW OR NOT?

[PEARL DRUMS]

I have a 62" ttt osage reurve I am chipping away at and was wondering what everybody thinks about sinewing it...........yes or no? The wood is good with only a few thorn knots. It was 62" long prior to my steam bending. My concern is the curve pulling out more than the back letting go on me. My goal is 50-55# @ 28 1/2".

[blackhawk]

If your not concerned about the back and its selfbow worthy rings and density then I wouldn't. And if the curves are left at proper thickness and width they are NOT gonna pull out so I wouldn't worry about that. My hickory recurve is 62" ntn with 7" static curves and pulls to 26" easily and maintains a straight profile,and I know I could go to a 28" draw with it.

How big and steep of an angle are your curves?pics?

[PEARL DRUMS]

I used a 14" trailer rim as my pattern to build a form. The tips where steamed and bent over half that form. They will be working curves and not highly curved. Im not sure the exact amount. I can put a pic up tonite when I get home.

[blackhawk]

Sounds good pearl. Good smarts using a rim for a pattern . I used the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket and traced it onto a 2x6 for one of my forms. 

[PEARL DRUMS]

I had the bucket and the rim sitting there, the bucket seemed to drastic of a curve. I chickened out and used the rim! Plus, I can back off and use it for flipping tips as well. My shop is full of high dollar tools like this!

[blackhawk]

  . Me too. A couple weeks ago I bent up some steep statics on an elm and took the head off my propane torch and stuck the body in the vise and bent them over it. Worked great too for steep 5" statics. Nothing better than being cheap n resourceful 

[PEARL DRUMS]

How long did you leave the bow alone after steam bending? I was thinking 4-5 days should be okay?

[blackhawk]

Id imagine that wood be fine. On the whitewoods I've bent they were all still pretty wet wood,like a week old or less ,then I let em set for awhile(months) to cure. I did static a piece of Osage and if I remember correctly I was bending on it within 4 to 5 days after with no ill effect to the tips.

[PEARL DRUMS]

This piece was dry when I started work on it. Not a splinter one lifted either! I did use my wifes wreath hanger as my metal strap to hold it down while I clamped. Another one of those high dollar tools I have, no wonder I have 3 locks on my shop door........I bet the theives are just lined up waiting for me to forget to lock up.

[gstoneberg]

My trade bow is about that length with one heat bent recurve.  I've thinned it enough so it is working at full draw.  It held the recurve shape and was unbacked when I finished tillering.  It now has rawhide and snakeskin on it.  Osage is pretty good about holding a bend.  I've had some bows loose bend at a knot when I heat bent them straight and I haven't had as good a luck when the bend is right in the working part of the limb.  On the tips your odds are pretty good.  I used to sinew back a lot, but now I don't unless I think the bow might fail.  Good luck.

George