Why I think osage is an inferior bow wood...

[adb]

Oh, no... not this again! 

[wood_bandit 99]

Oh, no... not this again! 

 

that is what i thought  that is why i TRIED ending it with an AMEN!!!

[bubbles]

I just finished all 37 pages...holy crap.

[Bryce]

time well spent?

[bubbles]

Hahahhaha   .  I havnt decided yet.

[Badger]

  Funny thing is that all year long I build bows from every wood I get my hands on. I don't care what the name of the wood is that I am taking to a flight shoot. For some reason I always end up taking osage, for me it just seems to hold up the best in a high stress design. Now this year I have a maple backed cherry that is on the first string team but I have about 9 months left and an osage bw will probably knock it off.

[Pappy]

This was a lot of fun to re read, got to love this place. all that and I doubt anyones minds were changed ,I know mine wasn't,Osage is still King.  
   Pappy

[Arrowind]

I heard a saying once.    "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still..."  That said...from my observation... It seems like those that have built tons of bows using many different kinds of woods seem to highly favor osage.  I highly favor hickory but only because I know it best and to be honest getting osage would be very expensive for me. My favorite "wood" right now is maple just because I think it's cool.  I don't know if it will every be my favorite "bow wood" though.  Even Ryan said he loves Osage in so many words...

.....maybe I didn't quite understand the 4th or 5th time I read the chapter on the mass principle but I thought it said that most any wood designed using that principle will perform about the same as any other wood designed using the same principle.....is that correct?

Badger are you suggesting that  - osage just takes more punishment over time and breaks down slower? hence - "For some reason I always end up taking osage, for me it just seems to hold up the best in a high stress design."

[Slackbunny]

  Funny thing is that all year long I build bows from every wood I get my hands on. I don't care what the name of the wood is that I am taking to a flight shoot. For some reason I always end up taking osage, for me it just seems to hold up the best in a high stress design. Now this year I have a maple backed cherry that is on the first string team but I have about 9 months left and an osage bw will probably knock it off.

Maple backed cherry is a great combo. I made one a couple years ago and I've only had one other bow made from HHB surpass it. unfortunately I gave that one away, so the maple backed cherry is still my go-to.

Maple backed cherry is the king!!...maybe.....probably not..... nah whatever.

Never had the pleasure of working osage. Doesn't grow where I live, but sometime I'll get around to acquiring some.

[Badger]

"Badger are you suggesting that  - osage just takes more punishment over time and breaks down slower? hence - "For some reason I always end up taking osage, for me it just seems to hold up the best in a high stress design." "

  Arrow, I don't like to state things like that as fact, more of an opinion. Most of my bows seem to shoot about the same from any kind wood, if the dampness is up the whitewoods seem to lag a bit. But when I do get a bow that really shines for some reason it is usually osage or yew. I have had some really fast maple bows, I love maple but at some point they seem to breakdown from where they started, usually do to being shot at moisture levels different from where they were built at. I have osage bows older than dirt that just don't seem to change.

[scp]

IMHO all would depend on your level of expertise. For example, for beginners who prefer to have a shootable bow that can be made with minimal skill, hickory or oak would be better. For craftmen who need to produce dependable bows routinely, osage probably would be better. For experts who are willing to spend hours and hours to bring out the best in wood, almost any "bow wood" can be acceptable. But to sell their bows at a good price, they probably should use some wood that is not that easy to get or to work with. For record seekers who want to have an edge over others, I guess osage and yew would be the natural choice. As I personally prefer to be "primitive" in the sense that I like to make bows with whatever wood that is easily available, in a rather short period using mainly handtools, I go for oak and hickory. I guess a lot would depend on how many hours you are willing to spend on a bow.

[Don Case]

History doesn't lie. For whatever reason osage and yew have been the wood of choice. I'm sure other woods have been tried over the years and for one reason or other have failed to stand up against those two. Maybe they're as fast but not as durable or vice versa. In the end osage and yew topped the heap and I doubt that will change. Just my opinion.
Don

[Carson (CMB)]

Earl Ulrich was presented two bows, one of yew and one of osage.  He looks at the osage bow and shakes his head, "osage..too heavy", then he grasps the yew bow and smiles, "yew, God's bow wood"   

 

[Marc St Louis]

I don't think I made a comment on this thread.  I have made quite a few Osage bows and there is no doubt that it is there at the top but then there is top grade Elm.  Sometimes, very rare but occasionally, you cut an Elm that is just plain outstanding.  Strong in tension and very elastic.  If given top grade Osage and some of this Elm I would pick the Elm.

[Badger]

  Mark, I am going to start another thread that relates to this, your input would be good.