Whenever I bend binding I spritz the wood, bend over the iron, but most importantly, back up the bend using a thin piece of aluminum flashing about 12" long that has wood handles attached to it. The strap allows full support of the outside of the curve as the binding is bent and prevents cracking or fracturing. I very seldom have any trouble with wood binding, even ebony, if it's supported by this strap as it is bent.
As always, you need a bit of practice on scrap before you bend the stuff you've spent time picking out and preparing.
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