Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Curlew on January 05, 2026, 10:55:21 pm
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I'm new to this forum.
Does anyone have advice on heat bending casuarina?
Thank you.
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Welcome! Very glad to have you on board :) I wish ai could help with your specific question but I have never heard of that wood. I can say that boiling works for almost all wods, steam is another common option followed by dry heat with oil.
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Welcome to PA, Curlew. I've heard of Casuarina but never used it for bow building. I believe it is a tropical and grows in Florida. Maybe one of our FLA members will chime in.
I just looked it up and it is also called Australian pine. I think Eddie Parker(Mullet) may have used it for bows.
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I also would like to welcome you to Primitive Archery site.
I wish I could help you , but I haven’t heard of that wood either. Hopefully someone else has.
Bjrogg
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Casurina, Australian timber. Looks like a pine because it has needle like leaves, but the wood is more like a diffuse porous oak. It is also called she oak. Splits cleanly like oak.
Never tried it for a bow, but Badger one of the most experienced bowyers on here rates it as pretty good from memory.
General theory for bending wood with heat, is if the wood is green, use wet heat, like steaming or boiling. Also use wet heat for tight bends like recurves. If the wood is dry, use a heat gun, for taking out propellor twist, or reflexing, or making the limbs look more even.
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Be sure the back of the bow(stave) is well sealed. I use shellac. It can take some heat and steam doesn't seem to adversely affect it. Even with what you think is well dried, well seasoned if you add heat you may find checks along the back. The shellac will help protect it from that.