Hunting the Osage bow opinion

[Aries]

I have just recently finished reading Dean Torges Hunting the Osage Bow(for something like the 3rd time) and have steamed up a couple of staves as per his instructions. I found the beliefs expressed in his book compelling and I have began looking at many aspects of archery in a diffrent light. I am wondering what kind of results anyone who has followed out his bow making process has been able to procure.  Thanks Ty

[tom sawyer]

His advice is sound.  His length dimension for an osage selfbow is challenging, 62" for a 28" draw is aggressively short.   If you pull it off you have an exceptional bow, and I think that is what he intends.  His advocating a shorter lower limb has been the subject of much debate, I personally think either way you go thee works pretty well.

Maybe most important is that Torges is a fantastic craftsman, one of the best I know of.  I think that makes his recommendations carry more weight, at least in my mind.  I would also say that some of the best bowyers I've met, follow his instructions.  You could certainly do worse than to adopt his philosophy of bowyering.

[Tom B]

my first three bows kinda followed his prosaic directions.all are shooters to this day.tbb1,2,3, help in the translation to other woods.don't have paul comstocks' book yet.best of luck. this stuff is fun. Tom

[Mechslasher]

the tillering technique used in his book is the easiest method for tillering.  as to his bow lengths, i also prefer a shorter bow so long as you are using a good piece of osage.  his dimensions won't work with most woods.  a good piece of osage will easily make a 58-64" bow.  i have a really nice 58" osage stave i'm planning on turning into a "bush bow" as soon as i find the time.

[DCM]

I think the book is entertaining and instructional outside of it's premise, which is to tutor the building of a bow.  As a step-by-step treatise I actually found it fell a bit short, but again, I don't think that was it's primary purpose.  It is in my vew fairly specialized and narrow in it's purpose, specifically to craft a durable, short hunting bow of osage.  Most of what it conveys converts directly to other designs, and materials.  As has been mentioned, faceted wood removal, the tillering "tree", the primary tools and their purpose, the selection and handling of timber all have much value outside the "osage hunting bow" paradigm.

Ideally a bowyer's craft is only influenced by, rather than dictated by, such works.  As such, there's no limit to where one can take the craft, given HOB as an influence.  I think the TBB series are invaluable as well, for example.  But to answer the question, I've seen countless HOB "clones" which as 1st, 2nd or 3rd attempts are frequently 90% as good as the most experienced bowyer might build, leaving short only in areas of aesthetics and cosmetics where experience and personal preference play a strong role anyway.

[Auggie]

Several years ago I met Dean at Mojam,bought a copy of his book,and he signed it for me. Got to talk with him that day and learned alot. He also had several of his bows there,I cannot find words to do them justice.Ive read the book several times since then and continue to learn from it as I go.If you dont have it ,I recommend adding it to your collection of knowledge. Auggie.

[TRACY]

The only bad thing I have to say about it is that the binding sucks and all my pages are held between the covers with a big clip. This was the case from day 1 brand new. I use a lot of the info within this book and blend it with other ideas and techniques from others like TBB 1,2,3, Jim Hamm, Jay Massey, Paul Comstock and especially this website/magazine. I think it's important to keep an open mind and try a lot of these differing techniques to see for myself which ones work better for me.

[Stonedog]

I was thiking of gluing up a stave and builing it to his direction.....

I was thinking of using hickory backed ipe though.....and not steaming it into sny shape other than flat....

What do ya'll think?

[Aries]

I am already in need of a new copy as well, i have a few sections falling out to, but for now that is nothing a little super glue cant fix .  I have made many bows of other designs than this successfully, and have read all the tbb's (save 4, which i have on order)  so i am not limiting my design characteristics to his advise alone, But, I have only made 1 bow of this short length before, and i have never attempted to tiller a  reflexed stave , so the next few months will prove a learning experience.     Ty

[DCM]

I think the major adjustment for me, to get a good short bow I was satisfied with, was to allow a little more work on the inner limbs, and a little stiffer on the outer.  This helps retain good string angle.  Leaving a little extra width on the inner limb, and tapering agressively are the obvious implications of such a design.  It is nerve wrecking at first, but like all projects once you see it nearly full draw on the tree a few times you begin to gain confidence.  Reflexed staves will show lots of early draw weight, so estimate your full draw weight at closer to 2# per inch, versus the old standby 3#.  Then you can always take weight at the end if you mis-estimate.  And you can't bull-dawg the tillering, you need to finesse, proceed methodically, and listen to the stave as you progress.  All standard bow building stuff.  It's not for free, a short, heavy bow, but it's certainly doable.  You need decent wood though, and I think HOB goes to great lenghts to explain this.

I'd be happy to post a couple of 58", 60# @ 28" examples if you want, for inspiration or whatever.  They've been posted a miillion times, you may have already seen them.

Contact cement is the shitza for fixing books.  You need something flexible, unlike super glue, typical glues.  Can't count the school books I'ver repaired for my 12 yo.  My HOB is is still in good shape.  Ya'll must have been extree hard on yours.

[RAU]

I loved the book.  Its the 1st place I saw the faceted tillering technique. My copy fell apart too but I cant really blame the binding.  I think it was just read, referenced back to, and tossed around the shop so many times that the binding failed.

[Eric Krewson]

If you plane to cut your own osage the chapter on proper treatment of the wood once you get it on the ground is worth the price of the book.  I still think of the absoultly perfect (clear wood, perfect rings, arrow straight) osage log I ruined by depending on wood glue as a sealant for the ends and back. Every stave checked from the back to the belly. Never lost another stave after reading Dean's book. 

[ahawi stick]

I have used Deans tillering style described in his book using the facceted approach. This really seems to help in keeping wood removal uniform on the belly. I built a 55 in. 70# at 26 in. sinewed osage covered with copperhead skins using primarily Deans style. It is my favorite hunting bow .Make some shavings and good luck!

[Slivershooter]

I have two copies of Deans book, one for my shop and one for my library.  I have read the book six or seven times and have picked up something new each.  The book is a good recipe for an Osage hunting bow, but like most recipe’s you can mix/change the ingredients/steps and still end up with a good bow; sometimes when things go right, an excellent bow.  His methods aren’t the only way; I use some of his mixed with those of other authors and have found my own method and preferred designs.  The reason why I frequent this and others web sites is to learn new methods and get new ideas.