Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: osage outlaw on February 17, 2014, 06:53:00 pm

Title: Curly osage?
Post by: osage outlaw on February 17, 2014, 06:53:00 pm
I was looking  through some staves yesterday and I noticed this one looked different.  It looked like saw marks but the stave was split not sawed.  I took a closer look and it almost looks like figured osage.  Does anyone know what it is or have some like it?

(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/clintanders/Bows%202014/SDC16250.jpg)


(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/clintanders/Bows%202014/SDC16252.jpg)
Title: Re: Figured osage?
Post by: BOWMAN53 on February 17, 2014, 06:59:53 pm
curly osage? lol
Title: Re: Figured osage?
Post by: Renacs on February 17, 2014, 07:12:10 pm
 Id like to see the back after you chase the ring
Title: Re: Figured osage?
Post by: Poggins on February 17, 2014, 07:31:31 pm
I've seen small spots like that before but never that much , I believe the ones I had had a bunch of pin knots in an area and that's where the wrinkles were on mine .
It would be neat to see the ring on the back .
Title: Re: Figured osage?
Post by: huisme on February 17, 2014, 07:40:05 pm
I had a little patch like this in the lever of a molle once. Gorgeous effect once it's finished.
Title: Re: Figured osage?
Post by: osage outlaw on February 17, 2014, 08:00:15 pm
Most of that tree had a horrible ring ratio.  It was all early growth.  I cut it in 4' lengths and have been using it for weight in the back of my truck this winter.  I just checked and it looks just like this one.  Oh well  :-\
Title: Re: Figured osage?
Post by: Eric Krewson on February 17, 2014, 08:58:42 pm
Yep, curly osage, save your scraps, it makes beautiful tip overlays.
Title: Re: Figured osage?
Post by: bubby on February 17, 2014, 09:10:41 pm
probably make some beautiful bowls if you could turn it, my oldest would love to get some on the lathe
Title: Re: Figured osage?
Post by: osage outlaw on February 17, 2014, 09:25:15 pm
Curly osage, that's it.  For some reason I kept thinking figured instead of curly.  Like curly maple.  Brain fart  :P

Bubby, would it work for turning if its almost entirely early wood?
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: vinemaplebows on February 17, 2014, 10:10:04 pm
I use to sell LOTS of figure wood, and figured Osage Is a very desirable wood to wood turners. Still have lots of figured woods.... :D
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: bubby on February 17, 2014, 10:50:12 pm
don't know why not Clint especially if it had darker yellow mixed with the early, two toned bowl talk about wow
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: IdahoMatt on February 17, 2014, 10:54:30 pm
Gotta love that curly figure.  Some of the pretty curly wood that I have seen make a bowl was basswood looking at it I would have never guessed it was.  I wonder if the figure would show on the back or just on the quarter.  Very pretty stave
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: JW_Halverson on February 17, 2014, 11:16:47 pm
If that is true "curly" grain, the dark lines will turn to light lines and vice versa when you move it back and forth in the light.  That is known as "chatoyancy" or cat's eye effect.

From Wikipedia: "In woodworking[edit]Chatoyancy can also be used to refer to a similar effect in woodworking, where certain finishes will cause the wood grain to achieve a striking three-dimensional appearance; this can also be called pop-the-grain, wood iridescence, moire, vibrancy, shimmer or glow.[4] This effect is often highly sought after, and is sometimes referred to as "wet look", since wetting wood with water often displays the chatoyancy, albeit only until the wood dries. Oil finishes, epoxy, and shellac can strongly bring out the "wet look" effect."

What you got there, Clint, is probably an 11 on a scale of 10!  I love it!
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: Carson (CMB) on February 17, 2014, 11:28:15 pm
That is going to look pretty once finished up.  Too bad it is so much early wood. 
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: Pat B on February 17, 2014, 11:41:42 pm
40" would make a gun stock, wouldn't it?  ;)   Also lams for them other kind of bows with FG in them.
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: Josh B on February 18, 2014, 12:11:00 am
40" would make a gun stock, wouldn't it?  ;)   Also lams for them other kind of bows with FG in them.

PAT!   You just gave me nightmares thinking about inletting a piece of Osage for a rifle action! :o lol!   It would be gorgeous though.  Besides wrecking my tools, the only draw backs I could see for making stocks out of it would be weight, warpage and trying to keep it from darkening to the point that you would lose the chatoyancy.   It would work good on your '99 or a shotgun.  Well anything thats not a full length one piece stock.  On something like bolt action high powers it would be near impossible to keep the barrel free floated.   Has anybody tried the various UV inhibitors on Osage?  If those worked,  it would be gorgeous with that tight curl!  Josh
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: JW_Halverson on February 18, 2014, 12:12:35 am
Even after it darkens, it will retain that curl!

Once that chunk of hedge is well seasoned, it should be amenable to being tillered into a gun stock!
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: Josh B on February 18, 2014, 12:30:26 am
Ring porous woods generally don't lend themselves to stock making very well.  At least not the full length one piece stocks.  There's a reason why stocks are predominantly made from walnut, maple and birch.  They are resistant to warpage with temp and humidity changes.  The more early wood there is, the less stable the wood is.  I haven't tried hedge, but I have tried oak, ash and hackberry.  All of them warped enough in time to contact the barrel and screw up barrel harmonics.  Admittedly, those are all whitewoods and hedge is not.  However Grandpa explained it to me as being the fault of the early wood.   That may not mean much to most folks, but when it comes to stock making, when Grandpa speaks....I listen.  Josh
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: Pat B on February 18, 2014, 12:47:19 am
Baseball bats?  ;D
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: Pappy on February 18, 2014, 07:36:08 am
Gary Davis gave me a stave of that,he called it Curly Osage and said it was pretty rare,still haven't made a bow from it but plan to some day. :)Cool looking wood. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: Eric Krewson on February 18, 2014, 10:53:29 am
Here is a curly osage tip overlay on my primary osage bow, the bow is 4 years old and the curl still shows well after darkening.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v181/ekrewson/bow%20making/curlyosagetip_zpsb2a4f00a.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/ekrewson/media/bow%20making/curlyosagetip_zpsb2a4f00a.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: Danzn Bar on February 18, 2014, 07:45:48 pm
If you still have that in the back of your truck at Moon Tree you might want to keep an eye on it. you might loose a peice  ::) :) ;)
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: Buckeye Guy on February 18, 2014, 08:44:41 pm
Clint
Wood that nice needs to be a bow , if you wont get it to me I will !!!
And make it cross grained!
Guy
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: seabass on February 18, 2014, 10:59:53 pm
I am with Bill.keep an eye on it.i need a small piece for knife handle scales.
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: nclonghunter on February 18, 2014, 11:22:07 pm
I have built several flintlock rifles and curly hard rock maple is beautiful stocks. Never seen a flintlock rifle made with Osage. That would be unique for sure.


http://www.google.com/imgres?q=curly+maple+flintlock&safe=off&client=safari&sa=X&hl=en&biw=1024&bih=672&tbm=isch&tbnid=IV4JGZaGGxWk1M:&imgrefurl=http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html&docid=KqG6muPv1bmnbM&imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vb_Yo_ELC48/S9oeRs9mUaI/AAAAAAAAb1c/wlUK4L_eVZA/s1600/York%252520Chambers%252520002.jpg&w=1024&h=768&ei=LyEEU435BObY0gHB1IHIBA&zoom=1
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: soy on February 18, 2014, 11:30:35 pm
That is sweeeeet!!!
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: osage outlaw on February 18, 2014, 11:54:49 pm
Steve and Bill, If the weather improves by the time we meet up at Dave's I'll give you guys some of my truck weights  ;D
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: Gsulfridge on February 19, 2014, 06:24:27 am
Just my luck!!  Always late to the party!!
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: mikekeswick on February 19, 2014, 06:51:19 am
That is some very nice wood. Get it out of that truck and somewhere dry!!!!
I got some highly figured ipe a while ago...it made some flat out gorgeous bows....the figure was a deep blood red....I have one precious piece left  :)
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: osage outlaw on February 19, 2014, 08:02:08 am
You can have a piece to Greg.  Keep in mind it is in 3'-4' pieces. 
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: JW_Halverson on February 19, 2014, 11:36:33 am
I have built several flintlock rifles and curly hard rock maple is beautiful stocks. Never seen a flintlock rifle made with Osage. That would be unique for sure.



I know a guy that made a flintlock stock out of osage.  He does amazing leatherwork and is a meticulous leather worker.  Wish I could say that about this gunstockig skills.  The stock still looks like the 2x5 that he started with!  Since it was only a 2x5, there is almost no drop to the comb and it is the fugliest gun you ever saw.  And heavy?????  No matter the load, it soaks up the recoil....if you are tough inough to hold the gun to your shoulder.  Sadly, for all the fun we have picking on him about that abomination of a gun, he most always takes home the prize for shooting.  And that is what hurts worse than the sight of that Firewood Flintlock.
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: Gsulfridge on February 19, 2014, 11:44:15 am
You can have a piece to Greg.  Keep in mind it is in 3'-4' pieces.
That's head high to us short guys!! ;D
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: nclonghunter on February 19, 2014, 01:28:53 pm
JW, sounds like he built himself a LOG GUN. They are big and heavy guns, but shoot great.

Another option for that wood would be to make a walking stick with the old man face carved in it. That curl would be beautiful on a tall walking stick.
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: sleek on August 30, 2019, 05:11:10 pm
Yeah... Ima be that guy that resurrected a long dead post. I

I'd like to know,  what became of this wood? I have just made the most beautiful bow of highly figured curly osage. Just looking to learn how it went for these folks, as these pieces were cut to billet size.
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: Josh B on August 30, 2019, 10:30:58 pm
Clint made a bow out of one piece.  It was mostly early wood and didn't work out too well.  I have a piece that soy cut some lams off for a bow for me and the rest is sitting in my shop waiting for just the right firearm needing new furniture.  On a side note I made my youngest daughter a bow out of a narrow stave of curly Osage from home that turned out exceptionally well.
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: sleek on August 31, 2019, 09:53:46 am
Thanks for the reply. The bow you made that turned out well, did you build it to standard dimensions for its draw weight and length, or did you go a little wider and longer? Did you have much set that you can recall?
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: Josh B on August 31, 2019, 12:25:54 pm
Normal Osage dimensions for the drawlength/weight.http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,54496.msg740401.html#msg740401
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: JW_Halverson on August 31, 2019, 07:28:23 pm
I saw photos of the effing glass bow Soy made from the curly osage.  I am not gonna go on record with my reaction because this is a family friendly site.
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: sleek on August 31, 2019, 07:44:48 pm
I saw photos of the effing glass bow Soy made from the curly osage.  I am not gonna go on record with my reaction because this is a family friendly site.

Oh no.... did it not turn out well?
Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: JW_Halverson on August 31, 2019, 07:55:48 pm
*blushing*  Oh, it turned out. It turned out *pant*pant* very well!

Clear some of your pm's and send me a message, sleek

Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: Dances with squirrels on September 01, 2019, 07:01:47 am
I'd LOVE to have a piece of curly osage to use in a longrifle stock. I did find this piece back in the corner that was big enough for a rifle and two pistols, but it has no figure in it. It's been seasoned over 20 years, and is dead straight and perfectly quartersawn everywhere except the buttstock.

Title: Re: Curly osage?
Post by: Dances with squirrels on September 01, 2019, 07:05:15 am
Should make a good squirrel rifle for when I get tired of missing them with the bow.