I harvested an osage limb a couple of years ago, and left it in the bow shop to season. While cleaning up the shop a bit I unburied the limb, held it in my hand, brought it to my eyes and it spoke, “Build me.”
So completely on impulse like buying "Joo-Joo-Bees" off the display rack at the checkout counter:
I laid it on its side and drew a line along the side center of the limb. I allowed for a handle section also oriented to utilize the benefit of the natural reflex, and then cut it out on my saw. Next, I removed the bark using my sharpest drawknife, taking care not to violate the sapwood rings. The limb didn’t have the diameter I felt, to make a hunting weight bow without the sapwood. Once the bark was removed, I sanded the back. I think that the added attention to the back allows the wood time to speak to me; apologizing or admitting any flaws or structural concerns that I might need to be aware of from here on out. I then smoothed out my saw marks on the belly and put it on the reflex form for heating. It took the corrections well and made the tillering process go rather smooth. Before I knew it, I was shooting it in. It turned out 40 lbs at 26", it's 52-inches long NTN and shy of 1-1/4 inches wide tapered to 1/2-inch with decorative pin nocks. I finished it with glossy poly-u on the belly side and with satin on the back to keep the glare down.
I don’t much name my bows, but I did this one as some of us older guys might have expected.
