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Author Topic: First Osage bow  (Read 1957 times)

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Offline SMeeres3030

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First Osage bow
« on: January 23, 2017, 03:10:59 pm »
Hi guys I got given 2 Osage staves from a friend. Never made anything but yew so not sure if I can go with sapwood or all heart wood? Any advise on Osage would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Shane
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Offline Lee Lobbestael

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Re: First Osage bow
« Reply #1 on: January 23, 2017, 03:18:46 pm »
Most people go with all heart wood on osage. And you have to chase a growth ring on osage unlike yew
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Offline Pappy

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Re: First Osage bow
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2017, 07:25:55 am »
I go with all heart wood also, the only reason I have used the sap wood is if I don't have enough wood to chase a ring on the heart wood.  :)
 Pappy
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Offline upstatenybowyer

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Re: First Osage bow
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2017, 07:31:56 am »
All heartwood. If you don't have much experience with chasing a ring, I'd plan on backing it. ;)
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Offline Dances with squirrels

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Re: First Osage bow
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2017, 09:14:53 am »
Get the book, Hunting the Osage Bow, by Dean Torges. It's all covered in there.
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Straight wood may make a better bow, but crooked wood makes a better bowyer

Offline Stick Bender

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Re: First Osage bow
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2017, 09:24:48 am »
If you have plenty of thickness I would chase a ring I was pretty intimadated the first osage ring I  chased but really not that hard get some good lighting & draw knief down to the early wood ring above the hard wood ring you want and use scrapers from there and you shouldnt have any problems just be carefull around knots also you might want to shellac the back & ends  after its chased , its really kinda fun & relaxing , with good lighting at the right angle the rings really pop off & are easy to see. Good luck !
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Offline hunterbob

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Re: First Osage bow
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2017, 06:53:44 pm »
Nothing like a good clean back on an osage stave. Good luck and keep us posted.
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Offline H Rhodes

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Re: First Osage bow
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2017, 08:57:46 am »
I agree with Stickbender on the condition that your stave is well seasoned.  If your staves are still green it is pretty tough to chase a ring.  Traditional Bowyer's Bible will help and there are some pretty decent youtube videos of people chasing rings.  I find it much easier to do with a stave locked in a good vice and in a place where the sunlight hits the wood.  Osage early wood is a heckuva lot easier to see in full sunlight.  Good luck with it. 
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Gautier, Mississippi

Offline Del the cat

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Re: First Osage bow
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2017, 09:55:57 am »
Chasin' a ring is no big hardship, just wave a draw knife at it or get the wife to give it hard stare and a ring will pop right off ::) ;)
But seriously, it's waaay easier than chasing a ring in Yew.
Del
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