Osage sapling bow...suggestions and current progress...

[Gaur]

cool bow.  Thanks for sharing it with us.  I like how it looks with the pith taken out.

[Primitive1]

Thanks Blackhawk and Gaur...it is one of three 'sapling' types I've had around for a long time...time to tackle'em...the second sapling bow is 56" NtN; I de-crowned the back and it has a nasty hole right at the handle and the limbs come out at different 'heights' from the handle (upper limb is high on the handle and lower limb comes out low)...there's also a bunch of nasty knots that will be a challenge.  The third sapling bow I've kept a good deal of the sapwood on and bamboo backed it...also put in a rather severe deflex/reflex...should be fun.  I'll post those on another thread.  Thanks again for the kind words, take care - P1.

[Pappy]

Beautiful bow,love that simple stick,Very well tillered,I bet it will spit and arrow
to boot.
   Pappy

[Primitive1]

Thanks Pappy, it's just for that reason that I went with an over-simplified handle of hemp/twine...normally I use/like a well shaped leather handle but I felt this stick just didn't want it...it feels better in my hand than I thought!  Rough and secure...  Going to try and get her out today to shoot her in a bit more but also trying to get the other two saplings bows done and move my tillering 'exercise' tree...never enough time.  Cheers - P1

[George Tsoukalas]

That looks fantastic! Jawge

[Lee Slikkers]

That looks fantastic! Jawge

Yeah, I know I have already commented on this bow but I couldn't agree with you more George, it really intrigues me with the hollow portions and the pith removed.  In fact I was so inspired I went out to my local Osage haunts and "harvested" two likely candidate saplings 

[druid]

What a good presentation..beautiful pics of removed pith and excelent belly...

[fusizoli]

Great work, love it!


(I would narow the tips a bit)

[HoBow]

That is quite a bow! 

[Del the cat]

Sweet, that's what primitive is really about.
Maximum bow with minimum wood removal/sweat.
Del

[Gus]

Yes Sir,

Really liking this bow.

-gus

[Elktracker]

I really like this bow! John Strunk recently built a Osage sapling bow like this and he said he really likes the way its perfoming! So much that he is hunting Elk with it right now during the 2011 season. I really want to try one of these! Great job!

Josh

[ErictheViking]

absolutely awesome! love the whole thing and the tiller is saweeet!.

[Primitive1]

Del the Cat...yup, I get it...KISS principle...
HoBow, thanks for the compliment!
fusizoli, thanks much!  The tips, though seemingly wide, are helped by the fact that they're missing some belly wood...she is shooting beautifully!
Druid, thanks much!  That salamander bow has me reveiwing my monstrous stash of ash...some of which are quite deflexed at the start...that is one wicked cool looking bow!  (Also fell in love with the elm reflex/deflex!)
Lee Slickers...I've been thinking that although this stave 'behaved' itself during drying, that moving forward, I might 'score' a side of the sapling to help the wood only shrink/split on the belly side...might be that it helps in further attempts (some of my saplings split in ways that are too ugly to post, yrk...)
George Tsoukalas, Thanks Jawge!
Gus, thank-you very much...
Elk-tracker; that is very interesting, didn't know that (John Strunk working one and using it...)...now that I'm thinking about it though, kinda brings the whole 'mass principle' into flux, eh (limb mass reduced due to 'pith' core removal)?  I have been shooting this bow hard this last week, no set, very little hand shock and fast...what's not to love?  I just find myself wondering how many saplings out there will behave as nicely drying only on the one side making life easy.  I'm sorting arrows during my shooting sessions now for this years hunt; first 'Dad and son' deer/turkey hunt this year to make some further magic (hopefully) with this bow...getting some very nice responses...like...ah, no way!...but she keeps on shooting and performing very well...what a nice feeling that is!
ErictheViking...thank-you very much; I've found that half of secret of tillering is knowing when to STOP!  LOL...cheers, P1.

[luke the drifter]

did the pithy center not go the length of the bow?  i am just curious why one limb has the groove and the other does not.