Question about lateral line on Osage stave

[ccase39]

I’m a little confused as to when you follow the lateral line on an Osage stave. Through reading I know if you have a snakey stave you draw your center line following the grain and swirls around knots. I have also seen people pop a center line straight down a stave by hanging a string if it’s straight.
Do I need to follow the grain if the stave is straight?
If it is snakey how to you keep your width taper straight? Do you just measure equal distances from the center line every few inches once the taper begins?

[SLIMBOB]

Follow the grain....Some staves may be fairly straight in appearance, when in fact the grain lines ...not so much.  I draw a centerline, following the grain carefully tip to tip.  My edge lines will also follow the grain on a straight taper, which may or may not match the centerline depending on knots or swirls and such.  On your areas where you width taper, some violation of the grain is unavoidable.  The angle of violation there is the key.  90 degrees is a break waiting to happen, so follow the grain in those areas, but cutting into the grain for a width taper, and the angle is tight, no biggie.
Different people get that taper done in various ways.  I just measure it every so often and make sure I'm close.  Too narrow is bad.  A bit wide can be narrowed as you need it.

[ccase39]

Follow the grain....Some staves may be fairly straight in appearance, when in fact the grain lines ...not so much.  I draw a centerline, following the grain carefully tip to tip.  My edge lines will also follow the grain on a straight taper, which may or may not match the centerline depending on knots or swirls and such.  On your areas where you width taper, some violation of the grain is unavoidable.  The angle of violation there is the key.  90 degrees is a break waiting to happen, so follow the grain in those areas, but cutting into the grain for a width taper, and the angle is tight, no biggie.
Different people get that taper done in various ways.  I just measure it every so often and make sure I'm close.  Too narrow is bad.  A bit wide can be narrowed as you need it.

Ah makes sense now. Thanks a lot. I’m starting my first Osage self bow and want to make sure I got it.

[Badger]

  On snakey bows I tend to dray my center and out lines following the grain but once i get into building I pretty much find it is easier to just eyeball the tapers and match the 2 sides to each other. Using a draw knife on the edges tend to follow the lateral grain pretty well on it's own. You just have to make sure you are always pulling the draw knife toward the tips or you can get in trouble