Strategy for snakey Osage?

[justsomedude]

I am working on a 56" end to end bendy handle Osage with a target weight of 25# @ 24". Bottom limb is STRAIGHT. Top has some snakiness and a twist towards the end-mid limb. I have left extra width on the twisted end as I am not sure where the middle will fall.

It's about 1 1/2" wide steady taper down to 1/2" with a rounded belly

Is the strategy to get the thickness down in range and remove as much twist as you can before deciding on the middle? I know I need to get the string to run through the middle of the bow, but I am not sure as to how much twist can be left and still have a functional bow

[osage outlaw]

Some guys don't mind a little twist.  I like to remove any twist so the tips are even.   Twist is easy to fix on osage. 

[sleek]

Best strategy is to give it to me.

[sleek]

Twist dont mater none. Just make your bow. U made some wild lookin bows that looked like condemned roller coaster rides. No treatment. Just make the wood bend.

[George Tsoukalas]

How many degrees of twist? Jawge

[justsomedude]

Maybe 20 degrees twist. I got rid of some other bending early on. I have it clamped flat right now but haven't tried heating it again. I have seen where people hang weights off of a clamp or wrench while heat treating to remove twist

Once I get the tips narrowed down I am about ready to long string tiller.

[Jim Davis]

Maybe 20 degrees twist. I got rid of some other bending early on. I have it clamped flat right now but haven't tried heating it again. I have seen where people hang weights off of a clamp or wrench while heat treating to remove twist

... .

That is exactly how I take out twist. I use a good big heavy monkey wrench. I put the limb or handle in my vise with the edge of the limb up. Adjust the wrench jaws to fit the limb. That leaves the rest of the wrench hanging out to the side. I put the wrench such that its weight is trying to twist the limb the way I want it to go.

Then I apply heat to the part that needs to untwist. Sometimes I put something next to the wrench handle so I can see how much it moves. Once the limb gets good and hot, you can actually see the wrench handle moving.

[Stick Bender]

Some times  the prop twist will works way out  as you tiller I had one osage bow as I tillered and got the bow bending the twist came completely out. 

[Pat B]

I'd say work it down until you can get to low brace as long as both are bending evenly and together before bracing it. Also, don't reduce the width of the tips until that low brace time. You can adjust the string tracking by removing some width from one side or the other of the tips.

[osage outlaw]

I remove twist similar to how Asharrow does.  If you decide to heat it out go just a little past straight.  When you remove the weight it will spring back a small amount. 

[justsomedude]

Excellent. I'll give it a shot today

[Cloudfeather]

I use a C clamp with weights when removing twist. Hang a string from the end of the C clamp until it dangle just about the floor. That's how I gauge when/how much it moves.

I also like to prop something under the tip of the bow so that it untwists but doesn't end up bending laterally at all. Kind of a crude setup but it works incredibly well if you're patient.

[justsomedude]

Using a crescent wrench and two vise grips...as the limb flattens, I add a clamp and keep moving towards the tip

[DC]

That's how I do it, although I usually have a couple of c-clamps and the weight from my arrow spiner in the mix

[justsomedude]

It's going pretty well. The hump on the right is the twist/knots