REFLEXED STAVES

[crooketarrow]

   I got a PM unlike the one that I got when I posted I'M NOT A LIER post.
  This person wanted to know where I got all of those nice clean staves with all haveing reflex in them.
 I've peached on here over and over about I started adding reflex to my staves about 13 ,14 years ago. I never use heat unless it's on a old stave that I cut and seasoned before I start reflexing while green. Or I'm pressed for time.
  I don't even start a bow with a so-so stave. You know the old saying

 YOU CAN MAKE A BOW OUT OF JUST ABOUT ANY PEICE OF WOOD IF YOU WANT TO PUT IN THE EFFERT TO DO IT.
  I've went that route a whole lot earlyer in my bow building. And it's nothing wrong with putting your skills to the test.
 
 Like I've I said before I've cut the staves a little long (I recut them later to the lenth I need) put the ends between 2 saw horses and either hang blocks at the center or rachet strap it down to the floor. I refer rachet straps. This way you can put as much reflex as you like in a stave. I've found out 2 to 3 inchs is plenty for bows in the 50's and 60 # range.
  I not only reflex but camp to a caul or what ever I need to make to straight the stave. Then I'll had the reflex. I even and did this quite a few times with older staves that I'd cut and left straight. Some staves over 20 years ago. I just but them in a water trouth and leave the to soak. AFTER THROUGHLY SOAKED  Then straighten and reflex. Then either put them in a hot box if I could'nt wait. Or just let them dry and reseaon while clamped or cauled for a year or two.
   I'ts kinda a no bainer to me. Unheated bows. Exspecially the ones not none correctly. I'm sure if you've used heat on a stave or bow you've ended up puting a couple of them in the fire wood.
  A unheated bow will out last a heated bow 100% of the time. I know heating what you've been taught. The TBB CAN'T BE WRONG. Did'nt someone just say those people that wrote them were people also and that some said that was the best info they had at the time. Nothing wrong with heating bows, just your bow could have been better and last longer it not heated. Plus it nice when you pick up a stave and it's already straight and already has reflex in it.
   Heres a few HICKORY staves seasoning. To show how I do it.
   Here's 2 followering dog woods straighten and reflex added. 2 SLIPPY ELM
   4 HICKORY staves with reflex added in.
    CLICK TO ENLARGE

[crooketarrow]

 SORRY FORGOT ONE

[osage outlaw]

Nice bit of info there.  I wish I had the room to do that.

[Del the cat]

Great post.
TBB1 makes a great point of saying you should always question the received wisdom.
But people love their dogma, specially if they don't want to take the time to experiment.
 I might try it with some Ash or Hazel seein' as it's plentiful.
S'pose I could strap two together at the tips back to back with a spacer inbetween in the middle?
A bit of healthy discussion (and the odd bit of ribbing) is healthy, but we shouldn't have to put up with any bad mouthin'. I try and go by the old addage, if haven't got anything nice to say, then don't say it, unless asked of course, like the tiller help posts.
Cheers
Del

[k-hat]

Roy could you elaborate on your time scale for doing this.  How long between splitting, roughing out, reflexing, etc.?  I have some elm that i was gonna try this on, and they started developing some side warpage (course that may have been uneven cutting). 

Thanks !

[crooketarrow]

  I use'lly cut, debark (most of the time) with some woods. If I have the time, I debark seal,spray the whole stave. When in a week on 2 of cutting. White woods like hickory ,elm I'll been a month before I got to them. It you cut them long say 60"s or so aracket strap still reflexs them easely.
    Here in WV we have wood boarers really bad. So I spray with a pestaside although you don't have to do it with debarked and sealed staves I do it anyway. Exspecially if I leave the bark on. I've used all kinds of pestisides most from LOWES. I might have them for a couple,few years before I do anything with that stave.
  I cut every winter I also have a friend that cuts and sells fire wood. I get  logs from him for a few dollors each.  I use'lly don't get around to useing or selling them for a couple years so I'll mark the year. Also after a year or so I'll take off the rachet straps. I have pegs in walls I'll lay them flat exspecially white woods. Staves at are old and straight I stand them along walls.
 

[Gus]

Cool Thread, thanks for posting.

Some thoughts and practices have changed Considerably from TBB Volume 1 to Volume 4...
And to take it a further step, look at the Drastic change in thinking of Master Bowers over
the past 100 years.

Anybody think we should close the doors on the U.S. Pattent Office today?   

-gus

[k-hat]

Thanks for the response Roy.  Next time i cut some down i'll give your method a try on a few of the staves.