Osage stave, sinew backing....Need some advice.....

[Stingray45]

I have a question I want to put out there for everyone to get some advice. I got an osage stave, pretty tiny, not alot of wood, but something can be done with it I believe. Right now it's 55" long and it's at least 1-1/4" wide at the narrowest point, going out to almost 1-1/2" wide at other points. There's a little bit of snake in it and one big not so I plan on dealing with that. It's 1-1/2" thick at one end and tapers down to 1" thick at the other end, so I have enough wood there I believe. I have a 27-3/4" draw length so I know with these dimensions I would have a hard time getting my draw length at poundage reasonably close to what I'm looking for. However I have seen some people say with sinew backing you can get a bow to draw at or over half its length. So my thoughts on this are to take it down to one growth ring that I want, lay the bow out and get my dimensions. Then this is where I'm not entirely positive on what to do. Should I tiller this bow for say 23" or 24" where I believe I should be ok to get to with that length @ say 50#'s, I was also thinking of flipping the tips. Then once I've done that sinew back the bow and let it cure for a couple of months, then come back to it and tiller it out to 27-3/4"? Any advice would be appreciated. Is what I want to do possible? Do I have the right idea on how to go about it? Or is there a totally different process I should look at going through. Thanks!

[JackCrafty]

I've backed red oak, juniper, ash, and elm with sinew... but not osage.  Sinew seems to work best on short, wide bows made from light-weight wood.

Osage bows can be made narrow and I think you have enough wood there, but others with more experience with osage will be able to instruct you better than I can.  Someone should chime in later...

I've heard that most people wipe the osage with acetone (to remove the natural oil on the surface) just before applying sinew.

I usually floor tiller a bow before adding sinew but I have also added sinew to a rough stave without floor tillering.  However, I think the best method would be to tiller the bow enough to brace it, then remove the string and bend the limbs (in the other direction) into a slight reflex before adding the sinew.  Then wait for the sinew to dry completely before final tillering.  I am about to try this method on the bow I'm working on now.

The only way to accurately tell if the sinew is dry is if your bow has stopped losing weight.  Even then, many bowyers wait even longer to let the sinew "cure".  The curing process can take several months, depending on your patience.   

Yes, you can get a bow's draw length to equal half it's length, but you have to pay attention to the set you are getting as you tiller and exercise your bow.  If you are getting too much set (more that 1-1/2"), your wood is not wide enough.  JMO

[Stingray45]

Thanks alot. I mean my main concern is to get that long of a draw length out of that short of a stave. I've heard you have to go with doubling your draw lenght and then adding 10% to 20% so I'm obviously way under that. But I've also seen some guys on here with 52" bows that have 27" or 28" draw lengths and I dont think they were backed. If I could get a bow of this length to my draw length without backing with sinew that would be my preferred route.

[John K]

This one is pulling 60# @26" 52" long, no backing. Good luck with you'r bow, i thinki it can be done just tiller carefully !

[attachment deleted by admin]

[HoBow]

I'm always surprised how little wood it takes to make a bow from osage!

[Stingray45]

Hey John your bow was actually the one I had in mind. I couldnt remember if the draw was 26" or 28" but either way that's definitely making the most out of every inch of your bow. I think I'll just take it slow and start off shooting for 50#-55# @28" and if at some point I feel like I need to back it I will.