ive been working on an osage selfbow recurve. ive already let it rehydrate for a few days. i know i ned to fill some of the cracks with superglue. im wondering about some of the other procedures. can i start rough shape of the static tips? do i need to make a shallow string groove to get it back on the short string? when is the best time to add tip overlays? do you fellas , who make selfbow recurves use a recurve stringer , after you have bent your tips? can you show some pics to help.rv

I would shape the tips, glue on overlays and get all that business done now Rudy. I use a stringer on any flipped tips or recurved tips I build. Its hard to string them any other way. I used to do the bare minimum to the bow until I "knew" it was going to hold up. Now I build them all like they will never break and get all the shaping done beofre I even start to tiller.

I generally leave the tips full width until I get final tiller and shot in.  Then make sure your string is lined up perfectly and your tips are in plane.  After that, I mark the path of the string and begin reducing the width of the tips.  If it is a full contact recurve, I will add a string groove.

On the all wood static recurves I've made I find uing a stringer a must to safely string your bow, especially with the sharp 60 degree angle I put on mine.  
Now on working fiberglass recures I was taught many years ago to use  the step through method and have never had any bit of a problem over 4 decades.  
That said I just saw a man with a painful mark below his eye, at a shoot  this weekend, after his high dollar German made static recurve twisted a limb whilst he was drawing back to shoot.  He was using a stringer, too, but there must have been a flaw in the limb of the bow.  Such a shame.

I do just like John. You won't know how the string tracks now until you get your first, low brace.