Belly splitting Osage

[jeffp51]

I just got a beautiful osage stave in the mail, and since they don't exactly grow on trees out here, I want to make the most of it.  I think I can split off the belly for another bow--both will have to be bendy handled affairs anyway at 64" .

Can anyone give me some advice on how to safely split off the belly without ruining both pieces?  I will post pictures later.

[Josh B]

Make sure to post a pic of the sawn ends that show the ring structure.  If there's a ring close to where I want to split it off that has a lot of early growth, I will tap a screwdriver or chisel into that early growth from the end.  Drive it in 1/2" or so, pull it out and move a little further over and tap it in again.  Keep doing that until you've started a laminar split between the rings all the way across the end cut.  Then go a little deeper doing the same thing until the belly split starts to separate from the rest.  Once you get it started following that early growth, you can get a little more aggressive with bigger wedges.  If all goes well, you can split the belly off from end to end following that one ring.  Then you just scrape off the residual early wood of the back of your belly split for a perfect back.  HOWEVER, if your stave has big knots or character issues this doesn't work as good.  Its best not to risk it if that is the case.  Josh

[osage outlaw]

Gun Doc gave some great advice there.  Post some pictures of the stave if you can. 

[jeffp51]

No knots.  Pretty straight, with a little snake at one end, but straight lengthwise.  the rings are nice. I was thinking about the 9th or 10th ring from the top might be good.

[jeffp51]

and some full length pics from back and side  (final picture)

[Hamish]

At that size you are asking for trouble splitting. You would be better off bandsawing  the belly, at least then you will get a belly slat that might be backed. You still might even be able to chase a ring on the sawn belly stave.
                            Hamish

[Badger]

  Why do you think 64" has to be bendy handle. 64" is my standard length for a 28" draw stiff handled bow. As for spliting I made myself a set of mini wedges 1/2" wide from 3/16 thick steel. I do as gundoc suggested except I leave them in and when the split starts I tap them in a bit further.

[Pappy]

What Badger said on the bendy handle, also remember you are always taking a risk to belly split especially one that size so just be aware you can loose both and wind up with nothing. Just a warning, I belly split all the time, but I have lots of Osage.  That being said the advice above is very good advice.
   Pappy

[Eric Krewson]

I would go down to around ring 13. That way you know your top stave will be a good one, if the belly split comes out OK that will be a bonus.

I cut a lot of billet spices and save the cut-offs for splitting belly splits.

[alwayslookin]

It looks like you have a lot less rings on one side than the other. So make sure have it figured properly so that you don't have way more wood on one side then the other on the belly split.

[jeffp51]

thanks for the advice. I seem to remember seeing somewhere a video where a guy uses a draw knife as a fro--anyone ever try that?

there are about as many rings on one side as the other, but they are thinner.

My draw is about 29".   I thought that would make it a bit short for a stiff handle, but I am still learning.

[okie64]

Do what Eric said and if it works good and if not you still have 1 good stave. 64" is still plenty for a stiff handle, make it 1.5" wide to midlimb and then taper to the tips. I use my drawknife as a froe on belly splits but it will sometimes dent the back making you chase down another ring.

[jeffp51]

I successfully split off the belly this morning. The belly split will make at least a kids bow, and I bet even something over forty lbs. We will see after I clean it up.  Thanks for all the good advice, and thanks to Dean for the stave.