Osage orange bow staves

[Henning]

Anyone got some seasoned osage for sale? Looking to try my first osage bow

[chasonhayes]

just planted some. should be ready in about 10 yedars

[Henning]

Lol well damn, forreal though if anyone has any I'm willing to buy

[superdav95]

I don’t have any Osage left at the moment but I do have some seasoned hickory staves ready to work.  Osage is not naturally grown or common up in my neck of the woods so I would have to have it shipped to me from the US.    White wood bows could also be a good place to start if it’s your first bow.  Not sure if it’s your first bow or not but a good white wood bow stave can be easily had or harvested yourself even and dried after working green and strapped to a form and left to dry for a few weeks.  I’ve made many of my bows this way and have been quite good bows.  Fire hardening after a few weeks of drying on a form after floor tiller green saves a lot of dry time.  A good fire hardened white wood bow will perform as well as any Osage bow in my humble opinion.     Osage could be expensive learning if mistakes are made.  Lately I’ve moved away from Osage as it’s gotten expensive and I found success with white woods. Just my 2 cents.

Cheers and good luck.   

[Pat B]

We don't openly buy or sell here on PA. Trade only.

[bownarra]

Talk about expense....I've just bought 3 osage staves...close on 100$ per piece plus postage of $195 and then i've got £72.43 to pay for 'import duty' neckednd of $600 for 3 staves....
These are for customers orders and i'll make the money back but....it is getting silly now. Very little profit in it.
The other option for me is to go and cut superb quality elm or yew for free.....not too hard of a choice now! Or try and steer people towards lam bows...

[BowEd]

I agree with these fellas.I've got osage growing all around me and am not into selling staves much but with this heat treating and sinewing onto these whitewoods they don't take a back seat to osage in any way shape or form.
Elm,ironwood,and hickory are top notch bow woods for me here.In fact if these white woods are harvested in the spring with the sap beginning to flow the bark pops off easily.It's the back of the bow there.No rings to chase.
If I had hard maple growing around me I think I'd include that wood too.

[Allyn T]

Osage is a pain even if you source it yourself. I just cut two logs The other day and one of them had great growth rings but ended up with 90° twist and was a pale sickly yellow. The other one was a great dark orange and stayed straight but the early would was touching through most of it It, hardly had any good late wood rings. Then you have the fact that you have to chase a ring and be careful to seal the back That's a lot of extra work. I'd rather just deal with some good white wood

[Eric Krewson]

You didn't mention where you live, if osage grows in your area you can find a way to get some. I cut most of my osage in front of a bulldozer after asking the people clearing land if I could have it. I have seen a downed osage tree and contacted the city office to see if I could salvage it. I know if I put an ad in the local swap and shop paper stating that I wanted to buy standing osage trees I would be swamped with offers, most people hate these trees. Sometimes you have to get creative to acquire osage.

If you don't have the necessary equipment for cutting trees, buying is your only option.

If it is not in your area eBay is covered up with staves, the cheaper stuff is green, you do have to know your osage to separate the good from the questionable, your bow making skill lever will dictate what you can work and what you need to avoid.

I got this tree just by contacting the city road department and asking if I could salvage it.

[bjrogg]

All good options.

If you really want Osage and honestly I encourage everyone to try it. Or any supplies. If you can make it to some place like Mojam or the classic. Any of the primitive meets. I encourage people to attend them and take every bit of spending money you can. Or something to trade.

It’s so nice to see what your being offer. To talk with the seller or trader. Not having any shipping saves so much. And I can guarantee you will leave with a smile on your face.

Bjrogg

[Digital Caveman]

If it is not in your area eBay is covered up with staves, the cheaper stuff is green, you do have to know your osage to separate the good from the questionable, your bow making skill lever will dictate what you can work and what you need to avoid.

I only know of 3 or 4 osage sellers on ebay, am I missing something?

[AndrewS]

Years ago I had made a good deal of trading a foxhide quiver for an osage stave....

I have also received Osage from the USA via ebay. Nowadays, the freight costs are the limiting factor for me. They are now - no matter in which direction from and to Europe very high - apart from the customs duties.
In Europe, I would currently try to get Osage from Hungary or Slovenia...

[Selfbowman]

All good options.

If you really want Osage and honestly I encourage everyone to try it. Or any supplies. If you can make it to some place like Mojam or the classic. Any of the primitive meets. I encourage people to attend them and take every bit of spending money you can. Or something to trade.

It’s so nice to see what your being offer. To talk with the seller or trader. Not having any shipping saves so much. And I can guarantee you will leave with a smile on your face.

Bjrogg

I agree and still think Osage is the king! Just an opinion guys. Leaves more for me!!!🤠🤠🤠

[bownarra]

Only a few sellers on ebay that are worth talking to...
Three skinny staves - $172 dollars to ship to England....
Wish I'd had the foresight years ago to buy everything that used to be available...
My first ever osage stave off ebay was less than £20 and the shipping was under $40. that was the best stave I've ever had....
check the trade blanket for my offer to anyone with a load of 'sage!

[Eric Krewson]

Just checked, I counted 16 osage staves on eBay by going down the page just a little bit, to me that is a lot of staves. I did notice the prices had doubled since the last time I looked a year or so ago. They used to be almost always at "buy it now" price, now they are are mostly on a bid system so I don't know what the final price will be.

This is a really nice one;

https://www.ebay.com/itm/125217782989?hash=item1d278fbccd:g:AuwAAOSwpv1iOSBT

Beware of the ones cut this year that still have the sapwood on, although sealed the sapwood will often crack deeply into the heart wood. If you buy one of these staves get the sapwood off the day you receive it in the mail.