Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: FAW on June 30, 2017, 09:37:24 pm
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Have not been here for awhile for a lot of reasons, however, renewing my attempt to complete a first ( for me ) osage bow. The victim stave appears to be half of a small diameter section which was formerly a 3" tree trunk, split down the centre. When starting to remove the first growth ring, I suddenly realized if I attempt to remove layers to obtain a flat back there will not be enough wood to properly provide a handle area. Does one have to decrown or can this be made into a workable bow without decrowning. It is currently 68" long, with a tight grain pattern and a good ratio of light to dark layers, albeit very close together. I have completed some whitewood bows and a composite with limited success and am hoping for an osage - sure wished it was a different piece of osage though.
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Small diameter osages' like sapling bows are some of the best resilient osage bows out there.You should'nt feel disappointed for the diameter of your stave.You should have enough for a stiff handle yet.Sounds like a perfect plan to me.
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I love small diameter osage bows. I've made 4 or 5 of them and they all performed well. With the high crown I like to keep the belly flat. You don't have to remove the sapwood either. Just get the bark off and shape the bow.
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I couldn't agree more with Ed and Pat. Small stuff makes great bows in nearly every good bow wood. I just made an elm bow that came from a 2.5" or so pole. In the handle area you can always glue a riser block on to build it up. Just stay away from the center 12" while you roung it out and get it floor tillered. You don't need much depth to stop the bending.
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One of my best osage bows I made was from a 1 inch diameter osage sapling/ sucker that Rusty Craine gave me at Mojam in 2003.
If you don't have enough heartwood you can leave a layer or 2 of sapwood.
If the stave is heavily crowned leave it a an inch or 2 longer. You don't have to decrown.
Jawge
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That is a real relief to me. I have had this stave for a few years and decided it was time to do something with it and been puzzling over it for the past two days. Work will continue and with the expert advice here, it may become a bow.