Hey guys need some help. Im trying to put a recurve in my hickory selfbow. First try failed,so my question is how long should I boil the limb and how do I figure how much curve to try? Any help deeply appreciated.

Are you shooting for a static curve or a working curve ?

static curve thanks

I've never tried hickory. I think it is supposed to bend pretty good though. Some woods bend better than others. HHB is bendable but more stubborn than Osage. I like to reduce tips to just a bit thicker than finished size and round of the belly side edges in a "D" profile. Have everything ready. Gloves, form, clamps metal backer strip and another set of hands if available. HHB I normally steam with a good rolling boil for 1hr and 15mins. Osage I can get away with half that. I have everything ready and I quickly remove limb from steam put it on my caul with a thin metal backing strip an the belly side to help keep splinters from lifting. Then I immediately start pushing limb to the caul feeling to see if it wants to go there. Usually Osage will very easily with hardly any resistance press to the caul. Occasionally HHB will put up more resistance than feels right and I will put it back in the kettle. I hope that helps you out. Maybe someone who's done hickory will be more specific. You might try experimenting with some scraps first. It's really important to have everything ready. You don't have much time before wood cools down to much.

Bjrogg

Thanks for the tips guys not sure why I wasnt smart enough to try bending scrap wood first. Will try boiling for much longer than I did before. Hate to reveal how dumb I was but I only boiled it for 15 min.

30 minutes is recommended but I always go 45 minutes

Papadeerhtr testing new things out on a scrap piece is quite often a good idea. It doesn't always mean if it works on the scrap piece it works the same every time. It can save you a lot of trouble though.

Bjrogg

yes you are right, been pretty successful so far on making bows but this one brought me back to earth lol. scrap test from now on!

I only steam my tips under a slow boiling pot of shallow water with a tin foil hood to trap steam. I steam 15 minutes per 1/2" of thickness. Most all of mine are 30 minute steams as a result. Make the bend in one motion and with intent. Don't try to pussy foot it, that just allows it to cool down.

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