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Author Topic: Osage Staves  (Read 3359 times)

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Offline wapiti1997

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Osage Staves
« on: January 12, 2013, 03:16:28 pm »
I've been lurking here and other places for a while, trying to learn and absorb everything I can as I prepare to make my first selfbow.  I converted from wheelie bows 4 years ago, after 25 years of hunting with them.  I've been very successful in hunting and target archery with my Herway XRTD longbow.

I now have the urge to make my own selfbow from start to finish.  I have access to lots of osage, of course most osage doesn't lend itself to an easy bow for a newbie especially. I've cut 2 trees in the last few weeks, the first was an understory tree that was straight, and yielded 7 -80" tight ringed knotless staves.  The second tree I chose was a canopy tree and should have been growing faster to provide wider rings, and it was.  It yielded 12 almost perfect staves, and another 10 or so marginal staves.

Here are some pics, let me know what you think.  Is this as good as I think it is?
I've removed the sapwood from several and sealed the ends and backs, I just sealed the ends on the rest.  I'm honestly wore out from scraping... lol





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Offline Carson (CMB)

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Re: Osage Staves
« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2013, 03:22:42 pm »
I havent had my dirty grubs on all that much osage, but I can say those are some of the cleanest osage staves, I have ever seen.  :o

Looks like you are on your way to making a successful selfbow.  You have the wood, and you will find all the help you need on this forum. 
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"The bow is the old first lyre,
the mono chord, the initial rune of fine art
The humanities grew out from archery as a flower from a seed
No sooner did the soft, sweet note of the bow-string charm the ear of genius than music was born, and from music came poetry and painting and..." Maurice Thompso

Offline stringstretcher

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Re: Osage Staves
« Reply #2 on: January 12, 2013, 03:25:49 pm »
Great haul.  From what I have been told and has proven true, you might want to get as much of that sap wood off as possible, down to the heartwood.  The sap wood, even treated from what I understand will check real bad.  Maybe some others will chime in.  But what ever you do....put some bug juice and shellac on those staves...or you will be very sorry....
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Osage Staves
« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2013, 03:26:16 pm »
I didn't see a single stave in there that I'd consider turning down.  You got me drooling, pal!

If you are in the mood for a drive, pick out any two of those staves, drive to the Black Hills of South Dakota and I will send you home with a bow you have finished yourself! Just pitch in for beer money, help with dishes around the house, and leave me the second stave.  Deal?!?!?!

Warning!  This hobby is almost as bad as becoming an elk-aholic!  Maybe worse because you can do both at the same time!

Where are you located?  We might have someone close by that can walk you thru the next stages.   
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Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

blackhawk

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Re: Osage Staves
« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2013, 03:26:57 pm »
Yaaaawn....clean straight wood....boring.  :laugh:
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Offline sleek

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Re: Osage Staves
« Reply #5 on: January 12, 2013, 03:33:34 pm »
Get yerself a bandsaw and you could double the number of staves ya got there..... You need at least a 12 inch 1 hp saw. Where ya from? If your close to tulsa, I will extend the same offer JW did to ya.... only, we might wind up hunting and fishing together this year too....
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Offline wapiti1997

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Re: Osage Staves
« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2013, 03:48:37 pm »
I'm in Kentucky, I'd love to take any of you up on that offer, but I'm pretty tied to the house right now with a 2 year old daughter and a little boy to be born in June, yep I'm a late bloomer.. lol

I'm a state wildlife biologist, and was part of the crew that first brought elk to KY in 97, thus my handle..

Blackhawk, I saved some of the limbs, looks a lot like your kinky stave...

What kind of insecticide should I use for the ones I'm too lazy to debark and remove the sapwood?  Would Sevin work?
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Offline stringstretcher

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Re: Osage Staves
« Reply #7 on: January 12, 2013, 04:01:12 pm »
With that nice of wood, a word to the wise....get the bark and sap wood off....NOW
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Offline sleek

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Re: Osage Staves
« Reply #8 on: January 12, 2013, 04:01:33 pm »
radiator fluid..... or bubble wrap, a postage, and my address does wonders for bug control.... just saying...
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Tread softly and carry a bent stick.

Dont seek your happiness through the approval of others

Offline danny f

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Re: Osage Staves
« Reply #9 on: January 12, 2013, 04:13:55 pm »
i would love to get hold of some osage. it dont grow here :(  you dont wana send some to the uk do ya. ;D
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Offline sweeney3

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Re: Osage Staves
« Reply #10 on: January 12, 2013, 04:22:22 pm »
Pay no attention to the rest of these vultures.  I would offer an ERC stave in trade for about any of those.   ;D ;D ;D

That is some fine looking stuff.  Not often you find that much Osage that clean looking. 
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Offline osage outlaw

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Re: Osage Staves
« Reply #11 on: January 12, 2013, 05:05:48 pm »
Beautiful staves neighbor.  Any good insect repellant will help keep the borers away.  If you get the bark and sapwood off the rest of them you won't have to worry about the bugs.  Just keep them somewhere dry.  It might not hurt to seal them a couple more times.  Being in KY you might want to wonder your way south to the Tenn. Classic in a few months.  If you are wanting to learn, that will be the place to be.  Some of the best bowyers in the country will be there.
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Offline SLIMBOB

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Re: Osage Staves
« Reply #12 on: January 12, 2013, 06:34:00 pm »
That makes my pants go crazy!
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blackhawk

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Re: Osage Staves
« Reply #13 on: January 12, 2013, 06:42:05 pm »
Quote from: osage outlaw on January 12, 2013, 05:05:48 pm
Being in KY you might want to wonder your way south to the Tenn. Classic in a few months.  If you are wanting to learn, that will be the place to be.  Some of the best bowyers in the country will be there.

I think he meant to say some of the best bs'ers in the country..not bowyers :laugh:....ill be there but don't ask me how to make a bow...I just remove all the wood that doesn't belong and get lucky every once in awhile ;)
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Offline Don

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Re: Osage Staves
« Reply #14 on: January 12, 2013, 06:46:48 pm »
I'd like to find a haul like that.
Have fun.
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