Osage - hole in the limb potential

[Lee Slikkers]

Greetings All,

It's been a bit since I posted anything but I've been here lurking.  Weather had broken here in MI so I am finally able to get out in the garage and start work again on a couple bows. 

Here is my question(s):  In the pics below you can see I have a couple decent staves worth of Osage to work with but I think I'd like to capitalize on the possible "hole in the limb" option for 2 of them...my main issue is that the knot/holes are layed out almost dead center of the splits.  The width of the main/larger split it almost 8" on the fat end and 6.5" on the narrow.  Is it worth the risk in trying to split a skinnier stave off of each side of the knot while still preserving the "center" stave or am I being too greedy and will risk ruining the center stave if I try to be overly ambitious on this?  The splits are 72" long with a fairly tight growth ring pattern (seems that is all I ever find to work with...)

Any thoughts or opinions would be greatly appreciated...many thanks~







Ignore the Sharpie lines...they were drawn on prior to discovering the knot hole potential...

[Dean Marlow]

Thats a tough one there. Looks like you would be waisting a-lot of wood trying to save the knot hole. Looks like if you split right at the knot you could get 2 nice staves. But yes you could get the knot hole in the middle of the stave if wanted. Dean

[Lee Slikkers]

Thanks for the reply Dean, I think you are correct...the longer I looked at the splits and studied the area around the holes I just don't see how I could get enough usable bow wood on each side PLUS save enough for the bow with the knot hole in it.

[blackhawk]

I'll solve your problem for ya buddy...you can take it down to Marshall mem day weekend n throw it in the shaggin wagon and I'll haul it away for ya  .....my preference with a stave like that is to first layout and get the hole in the bow...if there's anything left then great,and if not and only one in it then that's great too ...plenty more wood out there pal

[Lee Slikkers]

LOL, funny guy Blackhawk!  I made that mistake once before and every time I saw the bow you made from it I have regretted it!   

I hope to make the Marshall meet, don't really have a good excuse not to show up since I am only about 4 miles from the event 

[artcher1]

First thing I would do is clean the back up to see what you're dealing with there. Those knots are in the wrong location to build a sweet shoot bow IMO. Personally, I dislike knots like that myself. I would think about taking the bigger stave and cut the knot out and make billets. But that's just me. You could probably work around the other knot with the right design. ..........Art