Snakey osage stave, straight limbs?

[razorsharptokill]

If the limb is a little snakey do you follow the grain or make it straight?

[Walt Francis]

I like snakey bows so I follow the grain.

[razorsharptokill]

Me too but wasn't sure if a straight limb would weaken wood of this sort.

[Paul/KS]

Yep, follow the grain and see where it takes you...

[George Tsoukalas]

Follow the grain. Kind of like this. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/layout.html

[Roy Steele]

Ialways follow the grain.I never use heat or steam on my bows.

[Frank]

Like Roy, I always follow the grain.  I only steam bend when it comes to recurves and if a recurve limb needs to be tweeked.  

All the recurves I've made have crooked curves anyway.

[Bob Barnes]

like everyone else said...follow the grain and then you can use heat to line the tips up to the riser...

Bob

[razorsharptokill]

Ok thanks guys. I knew in my heart that I wanted the snakey limbs. They just give so much character to a selfbow. Its like the woods personality showing through. It shows the wild spirit of the tree itself.