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Going out on a limb

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M2A:
Figured id try and kill 2 birds with one stone here. first, the picture host site i had been using decided to change how they do things so as i read into it i cant use like i use to. Thats all fine and dandy, I just need to go through the learning curve. So lets see if this works. 

M2A:
Well aint that something. I did it.

I can move on now.....I always have enjoyed the hunt for materials as much as anything and in fact before i even got started on my first bow i thought about the resources needed and determined i had everything to do so. For me Osage has been hard to source but i get lucky sometimes. Good thing hickory and locust have kept me busy over the years.

The one clump of osage i know of and have permission to cut i didnt need yet so just was letting it grow till i had the oppertunity. As things would go I need to get started on that this winter. Looking over things i decided to take some of the branches first, remove the bark and sap wood a few at a time, as my time is limited these days. The photo above is one of those. Below is what i was able to split from it. aweful reflexed but not going to pass on the oppertunity to work on them. great rings imo
   

M2A:

I finished processing the last of the branches yesterday. Next step is going to be the trunk next weekend. With any luck ill it will have some nice rings in it and make some nice clean staves.

Going to do all i can to get as much from this tree as i can, with  in reason, and determine later if its too poor for a bow. So i kinda wonder if most folks that cut and split their own staves think the same way. Would be interesting to hear your opion.

below is final 2 branches i just finished up. the smaller one has some poor rings on the outside but gets much better a half inch into the hart wood. i was hoping for 1 stave from each branch but ended up with 3. each having its own challenges but just might be worth it.

Thats all i got for now.
Cheers, Mike   

sleek:

--- Quote from: M2A on February 26, 2026, 11:50:45 pm ---Well aint that something. I did it.

I can move on now.....I always have enjoyed the hunt for materials as much as anything and in fact before i even got started on my first bow i thought about the resources needed and determined i had everything to do so. For me Osage has been hard to source but i get lucky sometimes. Good thing hickory and locust have kept me busy over the years.

The one clump of osage i know of and have permission to cut i didnt need yet so just was letting it grow till i had the oppertunity. As things would go I need to get started on that this winter. Looking over things i decided to take some of the branches first, remove the bark and sap wood a few at a time, as my time is limited these days. The photo above is one of those. Below is what i was able to split from it. aweful reflexed but not going to pass on the oppertunity to work on them. great rings imo
   

--- End quote ---


Holy cow! Man, Id be VERY excited to work those super reflexed ones. Id splice two of them into a deflex reflex recurve bow. How wide are they?

Eric Krewson:
Back in the day I had access to a good bit of osage so I never saved limbs because they tend to be so knotty. I saved all of the trunk wood that had a bow or billet in it no matter how bent or twisted it was.

At my peak I only made about 15 bows a year, because these bows were for other people I didn't attempt to make bows out of the type of wood in your first picture. That wood can be tamed it will be a long term job.

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