Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: sleek on November 27, 2014, 12:41:55 am

Title: shortest practical osage bow?
Post by: sleek on November 27, 2014, 12:41:55 am
Im undecided here. I have two billets. One is awesome,  hole in the lim and naturally perfectly recurved tip. Its 32.5" long and 1 3/8 wide out the fade. I already made it into a limb blank.

The other is what I cant decide on. Its 42" long and  1 3/4 in the center, slight reflex at one end.

Do I splice them together and make a sweet bow, try a take down ( I have never ), or make a plains short bow of one and wait for a billet to show up for the other short billet?

Whats the shortest hunting application bendy handle yall ever seen of osage, and what draw length/weight?
Title: Re: shortest practical osage bow?
Post by: JW_Halverson on November 27, 2014, 01:37:53 am
Double your draw length.  As for max draw weight, how wide do you wanna make it?  No reason you cannot get a 100 lb draw bendy for a 26 inch draw that is 52" ntn. Might be 2 inches wide in the handle though!!!
Title: Re: shortest practical osage bow?
Post by: JW_Halverson on November 27, 2014, 01:38:42 am
But that is presupposing no recurving tips, backing, belly lams of sheep horn, etc.  Just a piece of clean osage stave.
Title: Re: shortest practical osage bow?
Post by: sleek on November 27, 2014, 02:06:21 am
Yeah... im not seeing a 21" draw length being used by anyone.  Guess I will either do a splice or a take down. I have in the past spliced in antler as recurves... I might do that again.
Title: Re: shortest practical osage bow?
Post by: mikekeswick on November 27, 2014, 02:43:11 am
Remember that bow you asked who had made. Bodkin Berts with the spliced in purpleheart 'levers'. That's what i'd be doing with the 42 incher. I only draw 26 so it would be fine for drawlength. I would also reflex the outers and mildly recurved the very ends.
Title: Re: shortest practical osage bow?
Post by: redhawk55 on November 27, 2014, 04:13:56 am
My shortest osage(44") draws 45lbs at 23", it shoots a 180grs. arrow 220f/s. Don't know if this would fit for hunting?
Michael
Title: Re: shortest practical osage bow?
Post by: bowster on November 27, 2014, 04:59:32 am
My shortest Osage bow measures 45,7", has a stiff handle and pulls 60# at 27" with a weight of 318g.
Title: Re: shortest practical osage bow?
Post by: PatM on November 27, 2014, 08:13:57 am
Didn't we just talk about splicing in extensions?
Title: Re: shortest practical osage bow?
Post by: burchett.donald on November 27, 2014, 08:44:32 am
  Jeesh! Bowster, you ain't scared to bend one are ya? :o ;)
                                                                                             Don
Title: Re: shortest practical osage bow?
Post by: bowster on November 27, 2014, 08:52:51 am
Oh, I am, but osage can be a wonderful wood.
Title: Re: shortest practical osage bow?
Post by: Knoll on November 27, 2014, 10:43:26 am
Bowster .... that sure is purty!
Title: Re: shortest practical osage bow?
Post by: Comancheria on November 27, 2014, 11:08:02 am
I realize you can go much shorter with a self design in Osage than with the white woods--but at what degree of shortness would you have to back it?  I look at Bowyer's bending of that bow and think it MUST be backed.

Russ
Title: Re: shortest practical osage bow?
Post by: bowster on November 27, 2014, 11:54:01 am
even in osage the quality in the wood shows big differences, and I´m also not that sure, that this bow would hold for a some thousand shots, it was more a kind of game, what is possible with this remaining piece of a stave, I steambent it in a deflex/reflex form, like a horseman bow, and when shooting I normally pull just a 26" like on the photo, but I´ve also tested it for 27".
Title: Re: shortest practical osage bow?
Post by: huisme on November 27, 2014, 12:38:01 pm
My recent r/d shorty is 46"ntn and pulls to 25 without a problem, though 26 stresses it out. If you assume osage is better wood that shouldn't be a problem  >:D
Title: Re: shortest practical osage bow?
Post by: bradsmith2010 on November 27, 2014, 01:16:32 pm
I have shot and made some bows that had a 20 inch draw,, it is a specialty item for sure, but a close range huntable..and will get nice cast if holding some reflex,,,so if you have never tried one,, I would recommend it for sure,,
Title: Re: shortest practical osage bow?
Post by: duke3192 on November 27, 2014, 08:58:15 pm
Sleek
Post some pictures, I've several, what I call orphans, maybe I've got a good match to one of yours. Where are you, I'm in Florida, is shipping practical.
Title: Re: shortest practical osage bow?
Post by: mwosborn on November 27, 2014, 09:49:32 pm
That is impressive Bowster!
Title: Re: shortest practical osage bow?
Post by: sleek on November 27, 2014, 11:26:45 pm
(http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i411/rocketernally/20141127_212633_zpsdrporu56.jpg) (http://s1092.photobucket.com/user/rocketernally/media/20141127_212633_zpsdrporu56.jpg.html)

Here you go duke. I think its kinda unique but if you have a match that would be awesome.