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straightening an Osage warbow

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bershirebowmen:
Hi,
 I thought I'd have a go at steaming straight my first warbow. It's a self Osage originally tillered to a draw weight of 85@28" that can draw to 30" (bowyer's specs) but draws comfortably to 31"  (feels like it could draw further), I just weighed the bow and happy to say it is just over 100@31", I can't remember how many years I've had the bow and its had a fair few arrows out of it  :D. It has a very nice arc at full draw but has taken a lot of set in the centre, the limbs are still relatively straight, so I'm thinking of steaming the bow straight followed by tempering this area with a heatgun. The set occured pretty much from the first few arrows I shot and has not really increased much. The bow is 74&1/2" in length n2n. It takes very little effort to string the bow.
Just wondered if there is any thoughts on the worth of doing this, and is it best to leave for a while before following with the tempering?, I got my steamer and form ready to start, setting it up now. (Thanks to Del for the steam straightening YouTube vid, great set up 8))
Berkman.

bershirebowmen:
Oh dear, just removed the hand wrap and found this on the south end :-\, don't know how deep it is. It's on the side and nearest the back of the bow. Perhaps not a good idea now. Is there anything I can or should do here? Would tight binding with epoxy resin and linen thread be a solution? (Sand that edge down and see how deep it goes?) Or is it not a problem to be concerned with? The back seems unaffected at present.
( the edges are brown and I've never taken the wrap off so I imagine it's pretty old). It's also the main area in need of straightening.
Thanks for any advice/opinion on the way forward.
Berkman.

Badger:
  I would imagine if you don't retiller the outer limbs it will go back to taking set in the middle of the bow. When we speak of how far we can draw a bow I don't think in terms of stack or failure as much as I do when a bow starts to take set. So in your case the 31" was probably too far for that particular bow and the way it was tillered.

bershirebowmen:
Thanks Badger for the reply,
When I initially got the bow I don't reckon I was even getting it back to 28". It was the first warbow I commissioned and was moving up from a 74@28 laminate.  I was moving from gnas style and got into the heavier side of bows on my own so didn't have much idea about drawing styles e.t.c or I would of ordered different specs, although I've had a few 31" arrows from it in more recent years the arrows I have for this are 30&1/2" and use them for target..so probably I draw them about 30".
Maybe 28" is the max, so straightening and retillering the limbs the way forward. O.k, a bit more work than planned for. Thanks again, that makes sense. 8)
(This post edited)

Berkman.

Del the cat:
+1 on what Badger said..
I've refurbished a few by combining steam or dry heat straightening with heat treating the belly and re-tillering, to stop it just taking the set again.
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=refurb
I'm a bit confused about where that crack/ splinter is... belly back or side? It looks like it needs patching to me.
Never done it on a warbow, but the bow in the link had been overdrawn like yours (a foolish moment of idle curiosity... daft to take a 70" longbow to 32" draw :-[)
Del

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