I have a bald cypress from a cutting which I rooted, stuck in a pot,then ignored for three years. Now it has an angle of about 70 degrees where it is about a centimeter across, which I really need to straighten out. I don’t see how to do that without using branch benders.

Googling how to bend it one site referred to branch benders as medieval instruments of torture with no advice of a better way. I can't find them mentioned on the Empire.

Is there a better way? How do I avoid bark damage? Etc.

I tried the branch benders but found them not really good for thicker branches, and also tend to move when tension builds up.
I am currently using this system: a rebar, a woodblock and some zipties. Works great.
This is a 3 cm thick pine trunk that was too straight. By changing the woodblock and adjusting the tension on the zipties you can apply a lot of force exactly where you want it, without damaging the bark

Hahahah, thanks for sharing this method lucR!
Simple and seems to do the job! I may use that on the future.

A few days ago I was trying to figure out how to convert wire tensioners/turnbuckels into a bender...
Seems like I don't need to anymore...