Early wood compression

[DC]

Does the exposed early wood on Osage or BL supply any compression strength to the belly? I'm tillering a BL and I'm finding it difficult to get an even taper on the areas of the belly that are early wood. The scraper just tears off the early wood and I'm ending up with long stair steps in the belly. Is that going to potentially cause uneven bending?

[High-Desert]

I had the exact same issue with my one and only Osage bow I've made. I think Osage early wood is less than worthless. the level of stairstep has to do with how much early wood there. This observation is purely based on my vast experience with one Osage bow.

[Pat B]

I don't think the early wood offers any compression strength.
 When using the scraper try scraping once with the scraper perpendicular with the limb then one at a 45deg angle to the right and one 45deg to the left and back straight across. This will hit the high spots but not remove the early wood. Hope that makes sense.

[DC]

Thanks guys. I'll try and keep a nice taper for appearance sake but I won't sweat it so much now.

[DC]

I had the exact same issue with my one and only Osage bow I've made. I think Osage early wood is less than worthless. the level of stairstep has to do with how much early wood there. This observation is purely based on my vast experience with one Osage bow.

Maybe not less than useless, something has to hold the late rings together

[osage outlaw]

I use a fine file to smooth the stair steps out on the limbs

[SLIMBOB]

File or a sanding block.

[Dances with squirrels]

I wonder what you guys' cross sections looks like. My bows are fully radiused and any early wood inherently 'fades out' to nothing with shaping or is so easy to deal with as a matter of course, I don't much think about it. A few passes of a file or sandpaper held askew removes any beginnings of a step. On flat flatbows, where that step cuts across the width of the limb, it's more of an issue.

[Badger]

   I can see where that would be an issue if the thickness you needed just happened to fall where early wood was. I know locust can have fairly thick early wood. No real suggestion beyond if you have enough wood consider side tillering like a pyramid.

[DC]

It's only about 1 3/16" at it's widest so I'll just have to do what I can.

[PatM]

Definitely put the scraper away and go to a sanding block.   

[BowEd]

That's my solution always a sanding block.