To bend a green osage stave or not.

[Brent Hill]

This weekend I carved out the rough dimensions on my limbs but left it wide (2in at fade and 1 inch at tips) and only carved the limbs about 3/4 in from belly to back.  The stave was cut in December and has been sealed with truoil the whole time.  I thought I was supposed to clamp down the reduced stave to prevent twist and add some reflex to the tips at this point while the wood is drying.  So I clamped down the bow slowly with blocks under the tips to add about 1 1/2 on the tips.  I did not use heat.  Now I see where some suggest bending the green stave and some say this makes a weak stave.  What is the correct thing to do?  Did I screw up?  Thanks

[Flinttim]

It won't hurt it. If you really want to do it right, steam it and then clamp it. It will dry quicker and you can induce a lot more reflex.

[DVSHUNTER]

what flint said.

[Brent Hill]

Next time, I will steam then clamp.  But for the limbs I already have bent and clamped, should I steam the limbs now while they are already in the clamp setup, or just leave em in the clamps w/out steaming or, unclamp them and steam them, and then reclamp.  Thanks for all of the help.

[DVSHUNTER]

if it were my bow, I  would unclamp it and steam it until it is good and hot. Take note where your clamps are right now to help with your clamping plan after you take it out of the steamtube. Work quickly and reclamp the stave back where you had it and let it cool. You can takeit off the clamps after a day or so, but leaving it clamped for longer won't hurt anything. Let it sit and air dry for  about three weeks @ mild temps like sixty degrees, then you can introduce  it to a hot box @ seventy five degrees and slowly work your way to ninety degrees over the course of two months. Make sure the back is sealed with a waterproof coat of some sort. I use shellac.