Author Topic: Red Osage  (Read 7715 times)

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Offline burchett.donald

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Red Osage
« on: March 01, 2014, 06:49:29 pm »
         Got me a piece of Osage that's full of red streaks, actually mostly red...Got it from Dean Marlow and it is one awesome stick...Little wiggle of character on each end with no twist and not even a pin knot. About as nice a stave as I have seen...68" x 1 1/2". Here's a pic and wish me luck on doing this one justice...
         Still racking my brain on a design for this one  :-\
                                   Don                                                                                                       
Genesis 27:3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;

Offline Blaflair2

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Re: Red Osage
« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2014, 06:59:52 pm »
It'll be a deep orange once worked
Nothing ventured nothing gained

Offline H Rhodes

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Re: Red Osage
« Reply #2 on: March 01, 2014, 07:12:15 pm »
Don, that is a fine looking stave.  You could build any design that comes to mind out of that one.  I like the red stuff. 
Howard
Gautier, Mississippi

Offline burchett.donald

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Re: Red Osage
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2014, 07:16:46 pm »
 Yea Howard I been looking at all kinds of beautiful bows on here and looking for ideas...Been digging around in bow of the month section...Like a kid in a candy shop...I got some ideas swirling around...
Genesis 27:3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;

Offline H Rhodes

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Re: Red Osage
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2014, 07:24:09 pm »
My finishing work usually is rushed and ends up looking pretty rough, but it is hard to beat some osage sanded glassy smooth and several coats of tru oil.  I admire these artisans and their work on this site too. ;)  Good luck with your bow.
Howard
Gautier, Mississippi

Offline Badly Bent

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Re: Red Osage
« Reply #5 on: March 02, 2014, 12:21:56 am »
Getting a stave of osage like that will make a grown man feel like a kid at christmas, nice looking chunk of wood Don.
I ain't broke but I'm badly bent.

Offline burchett.donald

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Re: Red Osage
« Reply #6 on: March 02, 2014, 12:48:58 am »
Yea Greg, I been sitting here drawing and measuring my profile trying to taper these snakey ends...Not used to crooked wood...Plan on cutting profile tommarrow
« Last Edit: March 02, 2014, 01:16:19 am by burchett.donald »
Genesis 27:3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;

Offline DuBois

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Re: Red Osage
« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2014, 06:48:36 am »
JELL-US!
Of stave and weather. Sweet

Is it red from age? Does that indicate anything as far as strength of wood?

Offline burchett.donald

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Re: Red Osage
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2014, 09:28:28 am »
DuBois, I don't have a lot of experience with Osage but have been told that it's somewhat denser than the lighter colored wood. I do know that the strawberry streaks throughout are beautiful. It's very hard and has a high sounding ping when I bump it with a tool...It's very different than my Hickory and Whit Oak...
                                                                                                                     Don
Genesis 27:3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;

Offline Dean Marlow

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Re: Red Osage
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2014, 09:49:19 am »
Don
  Looks like you have it penciled  out real nice. I like to make my Osage bows 1-1/2" wide to mid limb then taper down to the tips.You could go a little narrower if wanted. The red in Osage is caused by the minerals in the soil where it grew is what I was told. But all the red Osage I ever worked with is denser for some reason. Keep going. Dean

Offline SLIMBOB

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Re: Red Osage
« Reply #10 on: March 02, 2014, 09:50:55 am »
I used to think that darker Osage was denser Osage.  I'm not convinced that is the case though.  Worked a good bit of it lately.  One I'm finishing now is very dark.  Love the color for sure, but I honestly see little if any difference in performance over the yellow stuff personally.  All things equal, two staves lying side by side, I would probably choose the darker stave simply because of the rich color once it is done.  Curious to hear your take as you work through it.  Nice looking stave!
Liberty, In God We Trust, E Pluribus Unum.  Distinctly American Values.

Offline Eric Krewson

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Re: Red Osage
« Reply #11 on: March 02, 2014, 09:51:10 am »
My experience with the really dark through and through osage has all been good, very dense, heavy and very resinous (makes your hands black working with it).

Offline wapiti1997

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Re: Red Osage
« Reply #12 on: March 02, 2014, 11:41:51 am »
That's a pretty stave!

I have never seen fresh cut live osage with dark coloring.  I've seen plenty turn that color over time..

Offline IdahoMatt

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Re: Red Osage
« Reply #13 on: March 02, 2014, 11:48:02 am »
Very pretty color on a nice stave :).  Can't wait to see what you make of it.

Offline Will H

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Re: Red Osage
« Reply #14 on: March 02, 2014, 01:02:44 pm »
That is a beautiful stave! I just finished a bow from a set of billets that looks very similar to that. I'm with Eric on the dark Osage. All that I've ever worked is always harder and more dense. I'll trade that yeller stuff for the dark orange/red any day :)
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