Ever have a stave that’s a dud for no reason?

[organic_archer]

This topic is inspired by a recently disappointing osage stave. I had a stave that was a little narrow but really clean. It had minor natural deflex but was otherwise good to go. Air dried for 14 months, roughed out, dried in a hot box for 3 days at 90*, and heat treated into 1” reflex. No major knots or wiggles and good early to latewood ratio.

I worked it into a 58” bendy handle flatbow that’s 1 and 3/8 wide and 52# at 26”. Not something I’d consider super stressed. I also took the time to rawhide back it and cover it with a pristine rat snake skin that was 6’ long and covered it in one application. I dried it in a hot box between applications. Our ambient humidity is roughly 37% right now.

It lost all its reflex and took 2.25” string follow immediately after working. It settles in to about 1.75-2” set. None of the set is in the handle, but evenly spread throughout the limbs. It shoots plenty hard enough to hunt deer and is quiet and smooth with the string follow, but I was sad to use the rawhide and snakeskin on a piece that didn’t meet the “ideal”.

I’ll post pics of the tiller and profile here in a couple days. Out for Christmas.

I’ve ran into a few staves over the years that are just duds for no reason. Unusually low weight for their dimensions, excessive string follow. Have you guys had one that kinda let you down after lots of work?

[superdav95]

I feel your pain.  I’ve had this with a yew stave and once with a hhb stave.  I’ve never seen this with Osage yet but I think it’s something that can remain a mystery.  I’ve done an autopsy of sorts on my yew bow last year that failed.  I landed on the opinion that I may have over corrected it with heat too many times.  Thought I was being careful but it’s hard to know exactly sometimes.  It just didn’t perform like I hoped. 

[wizardgoat]

I think we’ve all experienced this Corey, and it’s tough to figure out.
Sometimes wood is just wood and it’ll do what it wants.
My guess for your bow, would be maybe it’s original deflex shape is what it wanted to be and no heat could change its mind haha.    I try not to expect  anything out of a piece of wood until it’s proven itself,, cuz I’ve seen plenty perfect staves be junk, and junky staves be perfect.  Bummer to waste skins on a bow your not happy with, but those shorties with some follow can still zip

[Eric Krewson]

I have cut osage that is as hard and heavy as a rock and some that wasn't much denser or harder than poplar, it all depends on where it grows and what kind of genes it carries. The light stuff made lousy bows.

[organic_archer]

My guess for your bow, would be maybe it’s original deflex shape is what it wanted to be and no heat could change its mind.

Now that I think about it Ryan, if the staves natural deflex was taken into consideration it probably only took 1” of permanent set. I’m just used to osage holding its corrections. I’ve had other woods pull out of their corrections, but there was bound to be a first with osage at some point.

Eric - there’s definitely a wide range of osage quality in my region.

[Selfbowman]

In going to guess it’s the early wood . To much of it compared to the late wood. But only speculation.

[George Tsoukalas]

like Arvin said maybe too much early wood so leave it longer or wider. Too much moisture. The dry time mentioned may not have been enough. Stave too short. I like to leave at least double the draw and add 10 inches.

I'm never really disappointed  when I get a shooter.

Jawge