creamsicle stave

[osage outlaw]

Yesterday I pealed the bark and sapwood off of a piece of second growth osage that I cut several years ago.  I was being very carefull with the last ring of sapwood because it is a smaller stave with thick rings.  I uncovered a beautiful mixture of orange and white on the first heartwood ring.  I guess it was in the process of converting from white sapwood to orange heartwood when I cut it.  Has anybody ever used a ring like this for the back?  I'm going to try it and see what happens.  Any suggestions on bow layout?  Should I make it wider or longer?  I spent 4 hours today meticulously scraping the last of the crunchy spring growth from the sapwood.  I know it looks like it has islands of sapwood left on it, but it is not.  It is one smooth solid growth ring.   







As an added bonus, the stave is a little wiggly down the entire length.

[Dean Marlow]

Are you sure that still isn't a sap wood ring on there? Your last picture looks like a heartwood ring on the lower right hand side of the picture. But if that is a heartwood ring that will make a beautiful bow. Sorry haven't run across Osage like that. I have Mulberry though.

[osage outlaw]

Good eye on the last picture.  That is the end of the stave where I started hogging off the sapwood.  When I realized what it looked like, I slowed down and stayed with the ring.

To me the ring is about 50/50 sapwood/heartwood, but it is one solid ring. 

[Pat B]

That is cool, Clint. I'd go a bit longer and a bit wider just in case. Looking forward to seeing this one done and again in 5 years. I'm curious about the color change as the bow matures. 

[PEARL DRUMS]

Hmmmm?

[gstoneberg]

I've seen that a couple times, and every time I went down a ring and went all-heartwood for the bow back.  I'm gonna be curious how it works out for you.  Given the number of osage sapwood bows I've seen people do around here it should be just fine.

George

[PEARL DRUMS]

Looking at some of the CRAP staves we make osage bows from, Id say your all set here Clintster. No matter what "that" is!

[MWirwicki]

Clint:  I've run into that several times.  I believe as you said that it is the transitionary layer between the heart and sapwoods.  Kind of a mixture of both.  I have never had trouble making the bow with that ring as the back.  In my opinion, make the bow with that ring.  Otherwise, you can't call it, "Creamsickle."   

Matt

[crooketarrow]

  Only some young osage is like that. Lots of times suckers coming off stumps are like that.
 But it will turn dark with time. At least all of mine did.