Osage color

[jeffp51]

Has anyone noticed a correlation between color and quality in Osage, or is color just an indication of age?  I am working a stave right now that is a rich, rich golden color, and it feels very strong. Other staves have been almost florescent yellow, but not that good-weaker one was more an orange color. Can the color tell us anything?

[chamookman]

I've always thought that the Color of Osage is affected by the minerals in the surrounding soil. My .02 - Bob

[osage outlaw]

I've noticed the darker red color osage seems to be great bow wood.  It can be stubborn to heat bend but it holds its reflex great and has good cast.  As far as what causes it, I have no idea.  I've cut dark red osage growing right next to light yellow osage. 

[PatM]

Likely the phenol content.  They are reactive compounds.  The tendency for Osage to get stronger with time seems likely due to these compounds polymerizing over times and essentially acting like a natural epoxy which shores up the cell walls.

[Eric Krewson]

I have cut osage that was dark through and through right off the stump, it was very resinous, oily stuff and heavy. It made good bows but not as good as the mid color buttery osage I have used. I have cut osage that was almost as light colored as the sapwood, it was very light in mass weight and always made poor performing bows unless backed with bamboo at which point it shines because it is so light.

[BowEd]

Seems the usual theme resides here too.Around here we call the darker colored osage red hedge compared to the regular yellow colored osage.Very pretty stuff.With those colors the usual and all great bow wood.Like Eric said too though most of the occasional lighter colored osage is lighter in mass weight.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I like darker or more red osage. Pale yellow osage is still good wood, but I have found it slightly inferior to the colorful stuff.  In the end? Ill use any osage. But like food, I have a few preferences.

[rkeltner]

i don't know if this is the norm, but i got some dark red osage some time back that had an insane ring count, 20 or more rings per inch...it was a nightmare chasing a ring because just a nick would take it into the next ring. i ended up chasing that one with nothing but a scraper!

[bowster]

I´ve just finished a spliced osage bow(57@28) with a ring count of more than 25, it is pretty dark, very heavy, consists mainly of late wood, and shoots arrows with 10,5gpp for 198m. But I like chasing rings in osage, it is like meditation for me.

[ohma2]

Ive noticed a definite difference in color and wieght of osage with the darker or brighter color having more weight.