Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: snedeker on February 21, 2008, 12:14:35 pm

Title: Edge grained osage selfbow concensus??
Post by: snedeker on February 21, 2008, 12:14:35 pm

Edge grained or quartersawn - I have tended to stay away from this for use as a totally unbacked bow based on some negative comments I saw on here a long time ago, Have done a silk backed one or two.  What has your experience been?

Dave

Title: Re: Edge grained osage selfbow concensus??
Post by: carpenter374 on February 21, 2008, 01:11:27 pm

My best shooting hickory bow is edge grained unbacked 67 in nock to nock. 1 1/2 in wide to just past mid limb 5/8 wide at tips. 1 1/2 in string follow. Draws 64 lbs at 28

Title: Re: Edge grained osage selfbow concensus??
Post by: DCM on February 21, 2008, 01:24:52 pm

I'd say edged grained anything-but-osage, knock yourself out.  Using osage experience is nada but intuition says "Ka-booooom!"

Title: Re: Edge grained osage selfbow concensus??
Post by: Eric Krewson on February 21, 2008, 01:31:24 pm

My experience with edge grain osage is there is always a pin knot in the wrong place making the structural integrity of the bow suspect. The edge grain bows I have made were OK shooters but I seem to get better performance out of plain sawn wood.

Title: Re: Edge grained osage selfbow concensus??
Post by: snedeker on February 21, 2008, 01:54:59 pm

So, Eric, you're saying that apart from integrity/potential breakage issues, the edge-grained is not as zippy a bow?

Dave

Title: Re: Edge grained osage selfbow concensus??
Post by: Eric Krewson on February 21, 2008, 02:56:37 pm

Not the ones I have made. Again, every piece of osage is different. Perhaps if i had sacrificed one of my premo staves to an edge grain project the outcome would have been different. I use tight ring stuff for backed bows.

Title: Re: Edge grained osage selfbow concensus??
Post by: Badger on February 21, 2008, 03:13:44 pm

      I use a lot of edge grained lumber for bows, osage has not proven very safe for me edge grain. I have had several just blow. I don't realy trust it. Steve

Title: Re: Edge grained osage selfbow concensus??
Post by: Tom B on February 21, 2008, 09:01:21 pm

thanks guys.tom

Title: Re: Edge grained osage selfbow concensus??
Post by: tom sawyer on February 22, 2008, 12:18:43 pm

I did a sinew-backed bow using quartersawn osage, it was fine.  Personally I think this orientation might make better bows due to the fact that there is no weak spring wood being mashed down.  The key is to get the continuous fibers on the back, I think that is what is particularly difficult with osage, because of its tendency to grow crooked and its pin knots.  Probably why you don't see osage backing strips being used much.  I do think you could make a fairly long bow, something with a modest design that doesn't have a hard bend, and get away with some runout.  Possibly use billets and evaluate them closely for grain before using.