Tight ringed osage

[osage outlaw]

I made a comment a while back about a piece of osage I cut that had "yewish" rings.  I was moving some wood around the other day and I found it.  Its the tightest ringed osage I have seen.  To bad its mostly sapwood. 

Does anyone else have any super tight ringed staves in their stash? 

[Badger]

  I went through about 20 staves last year just like that and I loved it! never believe anything you read until you try it yourself.

[SLIMBOB]

Wow, that is tight.  I cant say I have ever worked it that tight.  I love tight ringed Osage from small diameter staves like that above any other.  I'd give it a whirl and see what I had.   It looks like mostly early wood but you never know.  It's magical stuff!  Keep us posted.

[JackCrafty]

Good thread!  The tightest-ringed staves I have are juniper but I'm not sure how to count the rings.  The youngest rings seem thickest but when I look closely there appears to be rings within rings.

[artcher1]

I've seen one tighter than that make a bow. Friend of mine ordered a starter stave from a well known supplier and it looked like a stack of printer paper. No late growth what so ever. He sinewed it and took his first selfbow buck with it. You just never know............Art

[Pat B]

I like tight ringed osage and think it makes a snappier bow. I would add a rawhide backing.

[Jim Davis]

I've got some almost that fine and have used some  of it. I hate  it. About the time I think I've nearly scraped  through the ring I'm trying to take off,  I find I'm halfway through the next one.  :embarassed:
Jim Davis

[Pat B]

Jim, that's why I use rawhide backing. 

[toomanyknots]

I don't have any left, but the stuff I have got as tight ringed as your stuff was all from smaller diameter trees like yours.

[DarkSoul]

(...)To bad its mostly sapwood. 

Mostly sapwood? I think you're mistaken. That stave looks like 90% heartwood. The sapwood appears to be weathered off. Only a few patches on the 7, 8 and 10 o'clock positions. The sapwood must be thin as well, with rings this fine.

[dbb]

Think he meant earlywood...

[Gsulfridge]

That's tight!!  I think I have some character staves with rings that tight, or nearly.  I will dig them out when I get home from work and snap a couple photos.  The stuff looks so cranky, I'm afraid to try it.  May have to challenge someone with it.

[Eric Garza]

I'll take tight ringed wood of any species over wood with wide rings, including for osage.

[George Tsoukalas]

What I would do is remove the bark and sapwood and go with the first good ring. I've gone up and down the stave looking for one ring LOL. If the first ring presents itself complete after removing the sapwood I would go with it.

I would also leave the bow a little longer to by abiout 2 inches to counteract the crown which appears to be a pretty good one.

Jawge

[osage outlaw]

Think he meant earlywood...

Yes.  I meant early wood.  Not sure why I typed sapwood.