Author Topic: Nature Tells the way osage  (Read 3888 times)

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Offline Stick Bender

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Nature Tells the way osage
« on: May 12, 2018, 07:15:54 am »
Over winter I spoted the ugliest looking osage tree off the road 400 yards or so ,twisty trunk when I got close to it there was the stratist grain strait peace Y coming off of it so I cut it with a poll saw and between making other bows it set in the back yard shellacked on the ends tell yesterday I discovered 2 natural checks right where I was going to split any way, so I drove a wedge into the large one and it was the easeist splitting I ever did the same on the other maybe 20 minutes between rain drops and I got 4 nice 86 in. staves like Clint says osage tells you where it wants to split , I will be checking out all ugly osage tree's in the Future !
If you fear failure you will never Try !

Offline Taxus brevifolia

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Re: Nature Tells the way osage
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2018, 08:54:58 am »
The struggle is real! Yet you have prevailed! Well done sir!

Offline BowEd

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Re: Nature Tells the way osage
« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2018, 09:14:56 am »
Nice find Ritch.Early to late wood ratio looks pretty good.
BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed

Offline Bob Barnes

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Re: Nature Tells the way osage
« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2018, 12:08:26 pm »
funny but cool.    8)  Those are great rings.... good find.
Seems like common sense isn't very common any more...

Offline bjrogg

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Re: Nature Tells the way osage
« Reply #4 on: May 12, 2018, 12:36:17 pm »
Nothing ugly there
Bjrogg
A hot cup of coffee and a beautiful sunrise

Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Nature Tells the way osage
« Reply #5 on: May 12, 2018, 12:45:43 pm »
Looks good from here!
Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

Offline Badger

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Re: Nature Tells the way osage
« Reply #6 on: May 12, 2018, 12:47:46 pm »
Good find!

Offline Stick Bender

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Re: Nature Tells the way osage
« Reply #7 on: May 12, 2018, 01:10:06 pm »
By ugly I meant this tree was spiral grain twisted ,crocked, bent  every where else but had one section that was pipe strait & the bark grain was strait a real dimond in the ruff.
If you fear failure you will never Try !

Offline leonwood

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Re: Nature Tells the way osage
« Reply #8 on: May 12, 2018, 01:27:48 pm »
That’s some pretty osage you got from the ugly trunk! That will make some really clean bows!
Now I go cry in the corner because this stuff is so hard to get over here if you are on a tight budget like me. Just shot my first osage bow in today and boy that osage shoots nice.

Offline Stick Bender

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Re: Nature Tells the way osage
« Reply #9 on: May 12, 2018, 01:54:32 pm »
Even in osage country good clean osage is hard to come by I would say in my area might find 1-15 trees with good quality clean wood not to say you couldnt make a bow out of less then perfect wood but with all the work I have got more selective what I cut !
If you fear failure you will never Try !

Offline Hamish

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Re: Nature Tells the way osage
« Reply #10 on: May 12, 2018, 09:34:48 pm »
I love a good osage story. Well done.

Offline BowEd

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Re: Nature Tells the way osage
« Reply #11 on: May 13, 2018, 09:54:31 am »
Ritch.....Are there many fence lines using osage posts in your area and travels?Many times here farmers will have a designated 1/4 mile or more row of osage they harvest from every 20 years or so.Osage will grow shoots like most trees from cut off areas.These shoots many times grow nice and straight for more nice straight fence posts for themselves.They need 8' for a fence post.
Harvesting sapling type candidates for bows from these make excellent bows.
BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed

Offline Stick Bender

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Re: Nature Tells the way osage
« Reply #12 on: May 13, 2018, 10:12:34 am »
Ed I always keep my eyes open for those old fence posts but the ones I have seen I don't have access to but I discovered what I call a osage forest over the winter along a river bank the trees are old and big but I'm sure there is some smaller ones to just kind of hard to get to by truck but do have access to it , I will get in there this year at some point  I saw some what appears to be strait bark grain in there , winter time after hunting season is a good time to look with the foliage down !
If you fear failure you will never Try !

Offline BowEd

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Re: Nature Tells the way osage
« Reply #13 on: May 13, 2018, 10:23:22 am »
I did'nt mean using old osage posts for bows.I meant using sapling type growth from stumps that were harvested from.
Yes winter time is the best time to diagnose bow making material.
BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed

Offline Stick Bender

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Re: Nature Tells the way osage
« Reply #14 on: May 13, 2018, 11:21:46 am »
Yep I knew what you meant but wouldnt have access to them I would love to find some clean saplings !
If you fear failure you will never Try !