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Recurving osage questions

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sleek:
I need to make the tightest bend I can for a recurve. What is the tightest yall can make and how do you do it? Currently I just boil and strap it to a form and use a heat gun to set the bend. For this bow I want to make, I need it to almost be a kink. Anyone else have methods they use that would be any help?

simk:
Sleek! I'd say the key is making them thin enough. How thick/thin do they really need to be? 3/8" maybe? And If still splinters lifting, patch it again. That would be my bet. Cheers

Hamish:
 For any tight bends in timber, use a tension strip of very thin steel, or even a fg backing strip to stop the belly side from splintering.

superdav95:
I would agree with both Simk and hamish on this.  The more extreme bends I’ve done successfully on Osage has been with good quality thick ringed wood and thinned down like Simk says.  On my hickory I go a tad thicker for bending recurves but still works.  I’ve never used a metal band on my Osage yet but I have with my hickory and hhb.  I find that white woods tend to splinter up more then others.   I just steam my Osage for 30-40 mins then right to the form.  I make sure I keep to a single growth ring on belly.  I’ve done nice bends on thinner ringed Osage but have had some fail and crack on me. 

Selfbowman:
On Osage I would do the bend in three heat sessions letting it cool in between. What you trying Kevin ? Bending a hard ball radius?🤠

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