Author Topic: How tough is osage?  (Read 2321 times)

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Offline osage outlaw

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How tough is osage?
« on: September 03, 2018, 08:25:00 pm »
Many years ago I let a guy cut some osage logs off my property in exchange for making me a bow.  That is what got me interested in selfbows and started me down this path.  The bow that I received from that guy wasn't much.  I think he was just starting out.  The bow was supposed to be 50 lbs but was more like 35 lbs.  The bow had a lot of issues.  I only shot it one time and threw it in the corner of the garage. 

This weekend I was tearing out an old goat pasture fence and found that bow wedged in a gate keeping it closed.  I don't even remember putting it there.  It had to be at least 7 or 8 years ago, maybe more.  It was grey and weather checked.  The upper limb tip was shoved in the ground.  Of course my first thought was "I wonder if it will still shoot".








The leather shelf is dead center of the handle.  You have to hold the bottom fade to shoot it.






The brace is about how I remember it




I put on some safety glasses and pulled it back.  There was a lot of crackling noises from it the first few times I pulled it back.  After that it quieted down.




And yes, it will still fling an arrow, just not very fast.  Pretty impressive for a piece of wood that has been exposed to the sun, rain, and ice for almost a decade. 

I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left

Offline Selfbowman

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Re: How tough is osage?
« Reply #1 on: September 03, 2018, 08:30:57 pm »
Plenty tough and is still the King! Arvin
Well I'll say!!  Osage is king!!

Offline Pat B

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Re: How tough is osage?
« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2018, 09:14:23 pm »
I always knew you have the best osage, Clint.   )W(   :OK
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Hawkdancer

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Re: How tough is osage?
« Reply #3 on: September 03, 2018, 10:19:47 pm »
Looks like some tlc is in order to make up for the weathering - doesn't look like the goats chewed on it though!  (lol)!  A little truoil, and she'll be good as new!  I do think the bottom lim bends more than the upper, though!  >:D :BB  (lol)
Hawkdancer

Life is far too serious to be taken that way!
Jerry

Offline Mark Smeltzer

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Re: How tough is osage?
« Reply #4 on: September 03, 2018, 10:23:22 pm »
Cool story!

Offline chamookman

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Re: How tough is osage?
« Reply #5 on: September 04, 2018, 02:27:49 am »
That's cool Bud  :OK ! Bob
"May the Gods give Us the strength to draw the string to the cheek, the arrow to the barb and loose the flying shaft, so long as life may last." Saxon Pope - 1923.

Offline rps3

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Re: How tough is osage?
« Reply #6 on: September 04, 2018, 04:26:11 am »
Good story. Now to pike it, recurve, add some sinew, and re tiller!

Offline bjrogg

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Re: How tough is osage?
« Reply #7 on: September 04, 2018, 04:47:43 am »
Cool story Clint. So that's what started the Outlaw!! I'd say that makes it a pretty valuable bow. Sure glad that guy got the Osage from you. Glad he wasn't such a good bowyer that you'd of decided to just have him build you one and not start building your own. We owe him a Thank You.
Bjrogg
A hot cup of coffee and a beautiful sunrise

Offline leonwood

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Re: How tough is osage?
« Reply #8 on: September 04, 2018, 05:12:15 am »
That's pretty awesome! Shows how tough osage is! So from now on I can store my osage bow outside O:)

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: How tough is osage?
« Reply #9 on: September 04, 2018, 07:50:01 am »
And we worry about what finish seals the best :)
Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline BowEd

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Re: How tough is osage?
« Reply #10 on: September 04, 2018, 08:19:16 am »
Good post Clint.
BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed

Offline ohma2

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Re: How tough is osage?
« Reply #11 on: September 04, 2018, 08:44:39 am »
Amazing clint.
a few years back i read a story about a car made a long time ago ,it was supposed to be a rather high end car and only a coulpe were made .dont remember where.what i have always remembered though is that the thing had leaf springs made from osage,wish i could find the source of that story.

Offline High-Desert

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Re: How tough is osage?
« Reply #12 on: September 04, 2018, 10:11:49 am »
That's impressive!
Eric

Offline Will B

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Re: How tough is osage?
« Reply #13 on: September 04, 2018, 10:33:54 am »
That is a great story!

Offline Bob W.

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Re: How tough is osage?
« Reply #14 on: September 04, 2018, 11:17:44 am »
That's cool Clint, I know I like the staves that I got from you, I'll be hunting with one this fall.