Ole One Ear, an Osage Static from the PNW

[rossfactor]

I won't be tossing out my plum any time soon. But, I gotta say, Osage is some half way decent bow wood. I'd call it the best of the second string woods (e.g. after Yew and Plum). 

Actually, this one nearly gave me ulcers. It all started with this beautiful, 1937 take down by Chester Stevenson.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,34158.0.html

I couldn't get that bow out of my head, all year since I first saw it posted.  So, when I saw an ugly ole twisted log piece of 'Sage at the local hardwood mill, and especially when I found that it was grown right here in northern California, I had to give it a whirl.  Now, this isn't a take down, and its a lot uglier than Mr Stevenson's bow.  For starters, it gave me h*ll getting the tips lined up.  That's where she got the name.  At some point, I though I'd got em lined up, and I tillered and strung it. Well they weren't lined up and that bad boy ripped one of its self nocks clean in half. So one limb is about and inch shorter than the other. I glued up and overlay, but only one.   The other tip kept its self nock... hence the name, Ole One Ear. Than, it had some whoop-de-doo's and yee-haws (technical terms for lateral and propeller twist, respectively). Finally when I though I'd scraped and heated and plain willed it into shape, it popped a little crack on one of those growth rings that circumnavigates than handle, right about mid-fade. Well, at this point I said,screw it, you WILL become a bow, and I filled it with superglue (thanks for the suggestions y'all) and clamped her down. 

After all that she shoots like a dream.  Here's the fun part: 57 ntn, 52 straight line length, 62# @ 29", and just a hair under 1 and 1/8th wide at the fades.  Thats what impressed me about the Sage, I can't think of many, maybe any, woods that would give me those dimensions and turn out such a shooter.

As it is, its probably under-built a bit. Here's the pics, with my phone so not as good as usual. Like I said, she's not a looker, but she spits em out fast.






my friend Chris was gonna shoot it in the pic, cause my elbow is bad, but than I couldn't let him. I'll probably regret it in the elbow department.









Well, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.  Not my favorite tiller, but all she'd let me have.  And boy is it a smooth shooter.

Gabe

[Carson (CMB)]

Wow, nice work!  I can see why you had a bit of a time getting those recurved tips lined up!  That is really cool to see that bow inspired you to build this beast!  This year I am hoping to get the same guy to bring his Art Young bow for me to look over.   

[Bryce]

Aww man! You beat me to it!!! I had some osage set aside to build the same bow!!!!
Now I know you have good taste! I'm sure Chet would be envious of that beauty
Well done Gabe!

[Joec123able]

Wow that's is one heck of a bow I bet she shoots amazing and that bow on the link is incredible too I can't believe it's that old

[Pappy]

That a way to tame a nasty stave,Nice job.  You got to love it when a stave is determaned not to be a bow and you are more determaned that it will.
   Pappy

[JonW]

Nice job Gabe. I really like that!

[lesken2011]

Nice bow, Gabe. Sweet curves on that baby!

[SLIMBOB]

Like that one a bunch!  Told someone the other day, the quality I admire most in wood bows is the same quality I admire most in people,  fight.  Sounds as though this one might have left a few marks on you.  Some staves would have given up long before this one, and never given you a shooter with those specs.  My favorites are always the ones that fight back.  Love the bow.

[johnfolchetti]

Very sweet. Nice job taming that one.

[autologus]

That is a great looking piece of sage.  One of these days I will get around to obtaining some of that yellow gold and give it a try.

Grady

[rossfactor]

Thanks everybody.

Carson, thanks for posting the original, I think just seeing some of the work done in the early decades of this century should inspire us.  When we make bows we're part of an old tradition. Keeps us connected to where we came from.

Bryce you still oughta build one.  Mine is a poor excuse for a replica, and if I get my hands on some clean osage (is that an oxymoron?) I will do another.

Slimbob, I think you're right on the money.  The bows that put up a fuss often end up being the best shooters.

Thanks Joes, Pappy, Jon, John, Lesken and Grady. Y'all are too kind.  Next bow I post will have pretty pictures again, but I figured it was time to put one up on the board.

Gabe

[bubby]

beauty is subjective I guess cause I think she sure is purrty, Bub

[paulsemp]

I knew after I sent you a yella trade bow that you'd come to the orange side looks real nice Gabe

[Badly Bent]

29" of draw from a 57" bow and 62# is enough to impress me alone, even if it had been made from a clean and pipe straight stave of any wood. This one also looks good, has great lines, nice tiller and was made in a classic style to boot. Makes it all the more impressive to me. Nicely done Gabe.

[rossfactor]

Thanks Bub, Paul and Greg.

Yep, its amazing how narrow you can take a piece of osage and still produce a solid draw weight. And the stuff heat bends very well. It doesn't work as easily as plum or yew, but it sure can take some abuse.  Like I said in my original post, its the best (after plum and yew).

Gabe