Primitive Archer

Information and Resources => Trading Post => Topic started by: TimBo on March 10, 2023, 02:00:25 pm

Title: Kansas City area free bow wood?
Post by: TimBo on March 10, 2023, 02:00:25 pm
If anyone is in the KC area (or South Dakota - JW?), you can go to Kansas City Craigslist and search for "free firewood for the taking".  It is actually closer to St. Joseph.  He needs some trees cleared, so it is a "you cut, you haul" deal...mostly black locust, hackberry, and something called "hedge"...whatever that is. 
Title: Re: Kansas City area free bow wood?
Post by: Hawkdancer on March 12, 2023, 04:25:47 am
Tim,
"Hedge" is most likely Osage Orange'.  But I haven't lived in Missouri for 50 years or more, mostly more!  The language seems to have changed (lol)!
Hawkdancer
Title: Re: Kansas City area free bow wood?
Post by: Eric Krewson on March 12, 2023, 10:01:29 am
I was talking to a friend about bow making years ago, he was from Springfield MO, I told him I made bows out of osage orange, he said "what's that". I explained the tree and the thorns, that it was used for fence rows before barbwire and was really tough stuff, "Oh "he said, "you mean hedge". Turns out for many mid-westerners osage has always been known as hedge.
Title: Re: Kansas City area free bow wood?
Post by: TimBo on March 12, 2023, 02:20:37 pm
Oh, I am well aware that hedge = osage!  That was one more example of how my sense of humor doesn't always translate to the internet...
Title: Re: Kansas City area free bow wood?
Post by: Eric Krewson on March 13, 2023, 06:48:36 pm
If I told someone where I live that I used hedge for bow making they wouldn't have a clue what it was, actually, if I tell them I make bows out of oasge orange they wouldn't know what I was talking about either. I have to say" you know, those trees that drop grapefruit sized green balls under them in the fall", then some of them know what I am talking about but only people who lived in the country.
Title: Re: Kansas City area free bow wood?
Post by: PaulN/KS on March 15, 2023, 10:11:29 am
If ya really want to confuse some folks call it "bodark"...  ;)
Title: Re: Kansas City area free bow wood?
Post by: gifford on March 15, 2023, 04:19:00 pm
And don't forget "Horse Apple". :-)
Title: Re: Kansas City area free bow wood?
Post by: Allyn T on April 03, 2023, 07:06:45 am
I used to call them hedge apple but I've been on this site too long and now it is automatically Osage.
Title: Re: Kansas City area free bow wood?
Post by: bentstick54 on April 03, 2023, 09:44:58 pm
Yep, I’m a born and raised Kansan and still have to catch myself and not call it hedge. It’s all I knew it by until my adult years.
Title: Re: Kansas City area free bow wood?
Post by: bjrogg on April 09, 2023, 08:00:47 am
I live in MIchigan and very few people other than bowyers have any idea what Hedge, Hedge Apple ,Osage, Osage Orange, Bodark or that tree that drops the grapefruit sized balls is.lol

But then very few people know what Hop Hornbeam is either

Bjrogg
Title: Re: Kansas City area free bow wood?
Post by: bassman211 on May 03, 2023, 07:49:15 am
What ever it is called in different parts of the country if you get hands on a straight clean piece it is gold for self bow making.
Title: Re: Kansas City area free bow wood?
Post by: organic_archer on May 19, 2023, 11:27:01 pm
I’ve tried contacting that Craigslist guy multiple times over the past few months. It’s only a 2 hour drive from me. He won’t return my messages. Hope someone else has better luck getting ahold of him than me!
Title: Re: Kansas City area free bow wood?
Post by: TimBo on May 22, 2023, 06:25:44 pm
Well, that's no good.  Sorry to post a dead end - it seemed like it might be useful for someone, but not if he isn't reachable.