Primitive Archer

Yep, looks good to me.  I like to use calipers for that sort of thing to make sure thickness taper is consistent.  Either outside calipers or your fingers work.  Whatever system you use seems to be doing the job!

Tiller check, or just trying a humble brag? Cuz that looks mighty fine!

I think you are pointed in the right direction. Press on!

If anyone knows what they are talking about, its this guy ^

I've split a lot of big osage trees.  The biggest yielded 109 staves plus some billets.  I prefer to cut the large ones.  They tend to be straighter and cleaner wood plus all the belly splits don't need cleaned up.  Logs that big will usually have natural splits in them.  Start there.  Getting them in half is the hardest part.  You will need a lot of wedges.  I built a splitting stand on my sloped yard out of telephone poles.  I could roll a log to the end and have it at perfect working height so I didn't have to bend over.  I used a 4 and 6 lb hammer for all my splitting.  I didn't like using a full sized sledge.  When trying to get them busted in half, there will be stringers connecting them.  Two crowbars are handy to pry them apart.  I also had a long wood chisel I would use to cut the stringers deep inside.  I used to split 300-400 osage staves a year.  I tried to stop before I did too much damage to my body but I was too late.  I'm paying for it now.


Wear safety glasses!!!!!!!!!!!   I had a hammer head chip off and hit me right between the eyes.  It felt like I had been punched.  My nose was too sore to touch for days.  If it had hit a half inch either way I would have lost an eye.  Have fun and be careful.     

WEW are in western Pa. will have to split into staves-it`s too big to carry.