Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: The German on September 14, 2010, 10:28:15 pm
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I have built only one bow from a oak board and it worked out quite o.k. I am now wanting to built a bow from a stave. As options a I have black locust or Osage. What would you recommend. Also to make sure I understand right, normally you just remove the bark and then start with the first ( outermost) ring for the back of the bow, but with Osage you remove the rings until you get to the "hardwood"?
All your help is highly appreciated!
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i would go with the osage
bl tends to chrysal easy if the tiller isnt right
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JMO, Osage is the Golden Wood. ;)
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I'd go with the osage, and remove the bark and sapwood... and then chase the first decent thick ring.
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i agree with all osage is the wood BUT if ya rellley wanna learn to make bows and ur brave not afarid to blow one up go with locust thats the bow teachers wood it will show and tell you what you did wrong locust is the teacher brock
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Osage, osage, osage; and any other type of hardwood stave to warm-up with. Good luck.
Eric
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I'd go with the BL because you still have to chase to a heartwood ring and it will be good practice and then I'd go to the osage. Jawge
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Personally, I don't want to recommend anything to you - there are advantages to both. I'll leave it up to you, but do be aware that:
BL bows can be all heartwood, or heartwood and sapwood. On some, if you have enough heartwood, you can leave some sapwood or not even chase a ring at all. The more heartwood you have, the better though. BL bows make real nice eastern woodlands style bows, which are simple, yet pretty and very effective.
Osage is a way more forgiving wood in many aspects, and it would probably be easier for you to produce a bow from it. However, Osage sapwood is basically worthless and you will have to chase down to the heartwood absolutely.
...Just so you know.
CP
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If osage sapwood hasn't been compromised in it's curing, by bacteria or mold, it is perfectly fine bow wood. I've seen all sapwood, or sapwood backed osage bows. I have one floor tillered. Black locust has been treated exactly the same way, by convention, for the exact same reason.
If you have access to both, and appetite, I'd do both. But all else equal, cost, quality of the speciment, ect., osage is generally regarded as the preferred choice. This is particularly true for the novice bowyer, where little hinges encountered during the tillering process might be more likely to chrysal with black locust.