Questions/options of reflex/set-back

[Aksel]

Hi all, Iīve been thinking about reflex and wonder how do you value reflex achieved in different ways?


Which reflex has a better chance of surviving tillering and why? Assume flawless tillering and a reflex which is symmetric and equal in the examples below:


1. A straight stave dries and naturally takes a reflexed shape

2. A straight stave is clamped/tied down in a reflexed shape whilst drying.

3. A straight stave is reflexed with heat/steam in handle/tips when dry.

4. A stave has grown a natural reflex in the tree.

I leave out heat treated induced reflex since I believe everybody will agree itīs superior to all above methods, but if somebody disagree, let us hear.

Cheers/Aksel

[Del the cat]

I only value reflex when it is appropriate to the bow design. You don't get ow't for now't when making bows.
E.G. If you add reflex you may well reduce available draw length, or put extra strain on the limbs.
E.G  for heavy, long draw ELBs (aka warbows) a little deflex can be a good thing.
Del

[Aksel]

Yes, but the question here is not if I want it, but instead which reflex is more likely to last all other things equal.

[Pat B]

I would think that naturally formed reflex would be more likely to last and if belly tempering were added would be even more durable.

[bradsmith2010]

I agree with Pat,, that has been my experience

[Aksel]

Pat and Brad, I agree. I would count lost reflex as set, but on a straight stave which (without forcing it) has dried into reflex, would you regard lost dried-in back set or reflex as damaged wood cells in the wood?

[Pappy]

I would, but do think natural reflex holds better than induced reflex.
 Pappy

[Selfbowman]

I like the reflex at the ends. Let the set happen fade to mid limb. The farther the handle is off the wall when holding the back of the bow against the wall . The faster the bow will be. All my opinion. Heat bent tips .

[lonbow]

A stave that has grown a natural reflex in the tree (1) will keep much more reflex in my experience than a straight stave that has taken reflexed shape when it dried (4). The latter will loose pretty much all of the reflex during the tillering process. That was at least my experience.


A straight stave that is reflexed with heat/steam in the handle/tips when dry (3) will be as good as a stave that has grown a natural reflex, assuming that both the handle and tips don't bend and pull out.
Much bending areas that were reflexed with steam will likely pull out. Bending areas that were reflexed with dry heat (heat treating) will hold more reflex than the latter, but a heat treated bow made out of a stave with natural grown reflex will probably be superior.

I have no experience with staves that were clamped down in a reflexed shape whilst drying though (4).


We might add perry reflexed bows to the question. How much reflex will such a bow hold compared to a bow made out of a stave that has grown with natural reflex?

[willie]

would you regard lost dried-in back set or reflex as damaged wood cells in the wood?

yes, and most damage is on the belly side.

a heat treated bow made out of a stave with natural grown reflex will probably be superior.

in this case, the belly side wood cells are most pristine before heat treatment