How does one repair a warped bo?

Okay. I did it...warped a bo.

How to repair it? Lying it flat hasn't corrected it.

Hello Harlan:

Hopefully CXT, other Bujutsu practitioners will chime in... I suppose likely depends on a bunch of factors. It bent like a pretzel? What kind of wood? How long is it?

How did you store it that it warped on you anyway? Bottom line, I'd probably keep it unless it was too severe... but if it was relatively inexpensive, or it genuinely bothered me, tossing is always a viable option...

Jeff

I've had a number of bows and jos that have warped over the years, and it's pretty inconsistent as to whether or not you can fix them. I have a steamer and will usually steam the bo/jo and then block it straight, holding it with weights. I've had some that straightened out and others that I've done over and over and were still crooked.

What I've noticed is that the lighter the wood, the more chance for it warping, and if you keep them stored properly, they don't tend to warp. They should be hung on something similar to a gun rack, and what that does is to allow the force on the wood to be changed constantly. You might put your weapon on the stand, and it might not be off more than a quarter of an inch from the last time you did it, but it's enough to keep it straight.

I know that's not a definitive answer, but it's what my experience with warped weapons has been. I'd like to have a definitive answer myself.

I agree it does depend on the wood. I have a purple heart bo that has not warped at all regardless of the hell it has been through. Others not so much. If you are using a cheap0 rattan Century bo then I would expect all kinds of warping. YOu do need to be carefull about how you store it. All of my bos are in a bag and then hung straight up and down. This has prevented a lot of warping.

harlan

Wish I could be more help--but depending on how bad it is, how expensive the bo, and whom you might have access to you may just have to retire it--or cut it down to fighting sticks.

I had pretty good luck taking a warped bo to a professional woodworker so that it could be strightened with steam and clamps.
Problem is--accoroding to him--was that usually the steam/clams thing is used to CURVE the wood, and its somewhat problimatic as to how long and how well such a treatment will keep one stright--maybe forever--maybe not.
Might have been just his way of covering his behind, but he was NOT positive about it not re-warping later.

The bo I took to him was non-tapered, so I don't know if that might make a difference if the bo in question was tapered.

Again, depending on how warped it might be and how much you paid for it, you probbaly have little to lose by experimenting.

Might also matter on how good the wood quality might be.

Wish I had better info--sorry.

If you do experiemnt I would be interested in hearing what you tried and what the results were.

With rattan bos, you can usually straighten them by simply counter-bending where the problem is. Put the butt on the floor and your foot at the center of the warp. Be mean, bow it out by pushing your foot down as you pull up. Check and repeat as necessary.

Hardwoods are problems of lots of variables as described above. The ultimate solution is probably to put it into a steam box and cook it straight, like they make woooden boat ribs or rocking chair rockers. Not very practical though.

An alternate storage method is just flat on the floor, like behind the sofa or under the bed.

Thanks, all, for the feedback. It's unlikely that I'll get my hands on a steamer - unless it's for cooking rice. Maybe a sauna???

Normally, I'd just buy another...except it's a borrowed bo. Easier to replace...harder to admit to being careless.

"...except it's a borrowed bo."

Ouch. Yep, I see what you mean. That's painful.

Steamer is a piece of tube/pipe with a kettle plugged into one end.

What act of carelessness caused it to warp? Or was it what the wood wanted to do? Some wood is "reactionary" as in there are innate stresses which will make it through the air drying or kiln drying process. It's not unusual to run a straight board through the saw and get two exiting pieces with opposing banana shapes or twists. Did it go bananas or corkscrew? Banana you may be able to temporarily straighten by applying some moisture to the concave side.

It went 'banana' from standing in a corner (I had no flat surface that I could store it where it wouldn't get tripped on). Been about a month now of laying it down, but that seems to add an odd twist to it. Instead of correcting the problem the bo is getting wobbly-looking). If trying to remediate a warped bo by laying it down, should it be laid down with the tips down, or up?

A pipe...huh? Will steaming do anything to the surface of the bo?

"Will steaming do anything to the surface of the bo?"

It will roughen/fuzz it slightly, but nothing that can't be cured with a little sand paper and linseed oil when you're done.

I have seen wood straightend over a fire. Soak the wood wet, apply heat an pull straight.
(I haven't seen it done by bow but with arrows. Might work though.)

I'd lay it down with tips down. Maybe against a wall, flat on the floor. (Mine are under the bed, and under a radiator.)

Good luck!!

I've a bo, long ago warped by being in a ventilation-impaired, uber-hot dojo during our long Arkansas summers. Thing's I've tried:

Setting middle on cinder block, weighting both ends, mounting so won't move

Doing the above after being in a sauna for five minutes

Performing many, many drills against a heavy bag, with the giants of the dojo

Praying muchly

Is still warped. Still the hardest and heaviest bo I've ever slung. It's not a major warp, though. Just makes it interesting placing it back on the wall weapon rack.

Sorry I couldn't be any help.