Heat-treating an well shot-in bow?

[Loa]

Hello,

I'm using my first self-bow as my main bow right now, and I was wondering if I could still heat treat it after a year of use. I've shot it well over 2500 times in the last year, and it's received 4 coats of boiled linseed oil since it was made.

Here are the details of the bow: 72" ntn, 31" draw, 35# @ 28", pyramidal design 2.5" at flares to 0.75" at tips. It had no reflex to start with, and it has taken a smallish set of 1 inch from tip to handle.

I would like to try and heat treat the belly to give it a very very small reflex (no more than an inch), or rather to bring it straight again.

Is that a good idea?

Thanks

Loa

[okie64]

I did exactly what you're talking about with a hickory bow a couple of years ago and it worked fine. It will gain some draw weight though. About 5-10# depending on how much reflex you heat in. What kind of wood is it?

[Loa]

Hello,

Oops, it's an ash selfbow. Not really planning on a reflex, just a straightening would be alright.

Loa

[okie64]

If I remember right I heated in about 1.5" of reflex into that bow and after a few hundred shots the limbs sit perfectly straight. I've never tried heat-treating ash though. Maybe someone else who has can help you out some more.

[KellyG]

Loa,
I would like ot know more about linseed. Where I am at that is all I have that or bacon grease. I think Pat B has heated ash. I am working on my first bow so I can help you. And dont mean to hi jack your thread.
Thanks Kelly

[Loa]

Hello,

KellyG, I like using boiled linseed oil because of the very very mat finish and the smell. I've read that adding beeswax after a coat of linseed oil gives an even better seal on the wood, but I haven't tried that. I gave my bow 3 coats of linseed oil, and so far so good.

I also finish my arrows (black spruce, sitka spruce, douglas fir and ash) with boiled linseed oil, and it also works great. If you make your own arrows, glue on your point, nock and feathers **before** applying the oil. Linseed oil works really bad with every type of glue I've used.

Hope this helps,

Loa

[John Scifres]

http://sticknstring.webs.com/fixit.htm

[Loa]

Hello,

Thanks John for the link. That's what I'm going to try with this bow. And if is gains a few pounds extra, all the better!

Loa

P.S. Before I try it though, I'm gonna make another bow that I'd consider a "main"' bow, just in case!  :-)

[KellyG]

Loa,
Do you boil it yourself? If so how long I have a gallon can and really don't know what to do with it if I can get that far.
Thanks
Kelly

[Loa]

Hello KellyG,

I actually buy it boiled, but I guess you could do it yourself if you're careful: purposefully boiling oil isn't the safest thing in the world...

Loa