4" Osage branch

[Freeflynick]

Hello!
I have been given two osage branches which are only about 4" in diameter. They are reasonably straight, cant tell if they are twisted or not, the bark is not very easy to read. These will be my first osage builds, the others being 6 or 7 board bows.
What advice do you have on how to proceed with these builds? I was thinking about trying to split them and get 2 flat bows from each one. Is it even possible with something this thin? Any help at all would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers,
Nick

[bentstick54]

I have not built any branch bows, but my guess would be with only 4” diameter to work with, I personally would thin one side down to near limb thickness, except for handle area if you want a 1 piece handle, and strap it down flat to dry. Rather than get greedy and end up with nothing, I would try to get 1 good 1/2 out of each branch. Hopeful someone with actual experience with small diameter branches will chime in.

[Pat B]

If you knew they weren't twisted you could saw them in half, lengthwise. I've done this a few times with shoots, 2" to 3" in diameter. After sawing I bind the 2 halves together with a few spacers between them to allow air circulation and let them dry.Seal the ends for sure.
 If you don't know if they are twisted I'd do as bentstick suggested.

[willie]

 could you post some pics of the end showing the rings?

[Jim Davis]

Take the sap wood off so you can see if they are twisted. And don't decrown the backs.

[Hamish]

 +1 for bandsawing  narrow logs. Unless you are experienced in reading the grain, or the stave obviously has corkscrew in the bark, you are better off bandsawing(or even using a handsaw, like a bowsaw).

I would also clamp them to a form to stop any potential twisting whilst drying, as many of these staves from small diameter logs often do. Pat's advice is spot on for these types of staves..