Osage ID?

[Jimbob]

Thanks guys, I love the wealth of knowledge on here.

[Pat B]

Even an all sapwood, 2" osage pole will make a hunting weight bow. Add a bit of heartwood and you have great hunting bow material. I have 1/2 of a 2" pole drying now with 1/8" to 3/16" of sapwood and the core heartwood. Gonna be a great bow.

[Jimbob]

Thats pretty cool Pat, I cant wait for my days off to roll around, which is in about 8 hours or so.  I'll be hittin the woods to look for a Good candidate.

[gstoneberg]

I may have to try that.  I kept about a 4" osage character billet I split in half and intended to splice into a nice character bow.  One of the 2 billets checked dead center and the crack ran in over a foot.  No way I'm gonna be able to splice that one, but I could finish that split and make a sapwood/heartwood bow out of those 2 quarters.  For sure there isn't enough heartwood  for a heartwood bow, but if I use some sapwood...might make a nice bow (or 2).





Sorry for the hijack Jimbob.

George

[Pat B]

  I took a 2" pole and after studying it I bandsawed it in half lengthwise. I then bound the 2 halves back together with rope and small wood spacers between them for good air circulation. I kept them bound together for about 6 months then released them. Both stayed flat! When I work the stave I will induce some backset  so I can control it somewhat. I get better results manipulating the wood into reflex than depending on nature to do it for me, in most cases.