7 year old osage heat gun or steam?

[razorsharptokill]

What if a stave is over 7 years old with the bark and sapwood off? Will dry heat still work to bend it?

[John Scifres]

yes

[Pat B]

YES!  I like to use a little oil(I use veg oil) to help prevent scorching. I also think the oil helps to distribute the heat better and helps hold the heat longer.
  If you use wet heat you are introducing moisture to dry wood. As it dries again it is likely to check.

[4est trekker]

Like Pat said.  Also, once I get the wood good and warm, I will wrap it in tinfoil and continue heating.  The oil/foil combo works great for keeping the heat trapped and evenly distributed.  Even if you don't use foil, always use oil.  I like olive oil, as it smells like my favorite pizza shop as it gets warm!

[John Scifres]

I have never used oil on osage.

[mike mcguire]

I always use oil,,it evens out the heat and helps it soak in,, though all my wood is coated in shellac, so the oil cant soak in the wood itself,  I started this 25years ago through this winter I have been heat straighten about 10 osage blanks a day,, My failure rate is 1 out of a 100,, I can live with that,,  mike

[razorsharptokill]

Ok.. oil it is. I use it on my rivercane shafts too, just makes sense to use it on osage to prevent scorching.

[Pat B]

I also use olive oil. It does smell good. Many folks don't use oil. Probably 50/50. I've never had problems with it sinking in too much. Never had a problem with adding skins or finish over where the oil was.
  If I heat treat the belly I don't use any oil.

[shamus]

I use oil with the heat gun just to prevent scorching. If you're good with the heat gun, you don't need it. I need it.  

Steam also works. It's a bit more idiot proof but it takes longer

What are you trying to achieve with bending? String alignment? Reflex?

[Pat B]

If using steam or boiling dry wood you should seal it with shellac first to prevent adding moisture back into the wood. As it re-dried there is a chance of checking. Shellac can take the heat and moisture and can be easily removed or a finish will go right over it.

[razorsharptokill]

Took some twist out of one limb today using the heat gun and olive oil in a spray can.

[razorsharptokill]

Hey Pat B here are some better pics.
I found this crack after I had thinned the tips down some.  
 

Is there enough meat to remove the crack and not make the tip too thin?

[Pat B]

If you will notice, the crack is following a grain line. Mark it with a pencil and go past the visible crack to see where the grain line eventually ends up. You may be able to remove the splintered part or most of it and still have enough "meat" in your limb.
  Being out near the tip is helpful because that area doesn't do much, if any bending.

[razorsharptokill]

What about backing it with rawhide there?

[Pat B]

Backing the bow with rawhide is a good idea. I have never used a rawhide patch but others have successfully. I think a wrap it appropriate here because the crack goes all the way through the stave. It doesn't have to be a big wrap. Only at the end where it leaves the stave. I would also saturate the crack, back and belly, first before any other repair.
  This may also be one of those repairs that need to be thought about for a while. Later with a little more experience and confidence the perfect fix might just pop into your head.

[razorsharptokill]

Saturate with super glue?

[razorsharptokill]

It runs off of the edge right at the corner of the stave and is barely visible. The crack is very tight and it would be hard to get any glue into it.

I was thinking of a rawide wrap at each end to balance the look. I was going to back the whole stave with diamnondback too.

[George Tsoukalas]

I can't see it. Belly or back? I get the limbs bending before I do any heat changing. I coat the back with bacon grease.

[George Tsoukalas]

Why did you heat bend?

[razorsharptokill]

I was taking twist out of one of the limbs. The crack runs through the back to the belly.