fur backings?

[Squirrelslayer]

it may be a stupid question to ask but could you make rawhide leave the hair on and then back a bow with it? would it result in the bow becoming to slow? SS

[turtle]

Yes and yes.

[Weylin]

Yes and yes.

+1

And it would be difficult/impossible to seal against weather. My advice would be to back it with normal rawhide and then wrap a couple little strips of fur around your finished bow for decoration or something to that effect.

[Squirrelslayer]

ok so i finnished roughing out the bow but before any tillering or floor tillering one limb of the bow looks like it has set or has deflex but in one limb. so i was thinking could i clamp it onto my work bench so it is flat and then use the heat gun to heat up the limb so that when it cools it becomes straight or do i heat while clamping or is there an easier way to do it?

[Pat B]

Squirrel, Get your stave to floor tiller first. The less wood you have to deal with the better.
 Once at floor tiller clamp the handle area to the form(or work bench) with the back side down. Start heating the belly at the fades of one limb and as the wood gets hot enough start clamping it down. Work your way out that one limb then start on the other doing the same thing. Once it is all heated and clamped let it cool over night before removing the clamps and stressing it again. You may have to do this several times before you get the desired shape or straightness.

[Squirrelslayer]

PB the bow is at floor tiller now so now i just have to straiten it as both limbs stll have deflex/set one alot more than the other so i will use the methord you described to do it could i do something like this?

http://s1343.beta.photobucket.com/user/Jez_Walsh/media/ipe26_zps9023af9b.jpg.html#/user/Jez_Walsh/media/ipe26_zps9023af9b.jpg.html?&_suid=1360523158031014141331965448534

http://s1343.beta.photobucket.com/user/Jez_Walsh/media/ipe26_zps9023af9b.jpg.html#/user/Jez_Walsh/media/ipe19_zps9dde2548.jpg.html?&_suid=1360523179000002974286953576677

so when tillering if it does take set it just straitens out?

[randman]

You should do it on the type of caul that is upside down from that. You want the belly side up and accessible so you can heat it with the heat gun while you are bending and clamping.

[Pat B]

That type of form works fine for glue ups but not for straightening and bending with heat. Like randman said you want a form the shape of what you are looking for and you clamp the stave to that belly side up so you can heat the belly. You do not want to heat the back. It will become brittle and crack when stressed.

[Squirrelslayer]

ok so you say clamp the handle onto a block and then heat up the limbs as you bend them to clamp the tips and keep the back facing down. at least thats what i under stand from what youve said. also what if i heat straitened it to make it strait but then used sinew to give it reflex and give it even more protection, thanks for all the advice given. SS