I have read

[Dave 55]

I have read that osage does not make a good performing stacked belly elb do any of you have experience with bows of these types?

[Pat B]

I made a 70" ELB osage that pulls about 55#@28". Thin ringed osage so I added a rawhide backing. Osage will make almost any kind of bow you want to make!

[Dave 55]

Thanks for the reply Pat,Im gonna give it a try,Dave.

[Ryano]

Well I don't think the stacked belly is the problem its the over all length. I've yet to shoot a osage bow longer than 64" That didn't shake mt teeth out..... Its just to heavy and dense of a wood for longer bow designs IMO....

[Dave 55]

Thanks for the advice Ryano its appreciated.

[Pat B]

This bow had no more hand shock than any of my other bows. Keep the tips small.

[DCM]

At typical ELB dimensions osage makes a better 100# bow than 50#.  As has been said, keep it narrow and/or short, relatively, for more dense woods.

[adb]

Osage makes a fine ELB. I just finished one. 72", 45# @ 28", maple backed. Custom made for a friend. 1 1/8" at the handle, tapering to 3/8" tips. I think you could make almost any bow from osage. The only "problem'' I've experienced with osage is making the limbs too wide. I've found if you do that, the limbs are excessively heavy, and you get more hand shock.

[Dave 55]

Thanks for the replys,I appreciate all of them,Dave

[Hillbilly]

I've shot Pat's osage longbow, and it's sweet. Accurate and no handshock that I noticed. If you made the tips the same size you would on a yew ELB it would probably jar your fillings loose, though.

[Rich Saffold]

I've shot 74" 120# Osage ELB styles which were as sweet as you can ask for. 

[Traxx]

Guess this falls under the dont believe everything ya read rule.LOL
Seriously though,I think it falls under the design the bow to the wood category.

[Kegan]

I made a 70" Osage ELB. It was a fine shooter. Trick is the bowyer, not the wood or design ! With Oage it's just easier to let the tips get too wide. They should be light, narrow, and stiff.

[1/2primitive]

I made a 70" Osage ELB. It was a fine shooter. Trick is the bowyer, not the wood or design ! With Oage it's just easier to let the tips get too wide. They should be light, narrow, and stiff.

Ditto, Kegan. Performance (and hand shock, or lack of it) can be improved greatly with small tips.
     Sean

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

Osage is such a strong wood that the outer limbs can be made real narrow, a properly made a 70" Osage ELB probably will have less handshock than a 60" osage recurve,...I hear allready, Osage bowyers screeming "bloody murder"