Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: bentstick54 on January 26, 2026, 03:26:37 pm

Title: Osage Flat Bow
Post by: bentstick54 on January 26, 2026, 03:26:37 pm

My newest Osage bow 45#@28”, 66” ntn, flipped tips with deer antler overlays, bull snake skins, and 12 strand D97 Flemish twist string.
1-3/4” wide at the fades, straight taper to 3/8” at the tips. Tips started out about 2-1/4” in front of the handle and settled in at the end at 1” ahead of the handle.

Title: Re: Osage Flat Bow
Post by: bentstick54 on January 26, 2026, 03:30:36 pm

Needing a little work on the caul.

Title: Re: Osage Flat Bow
Post by: bentstick54 on January 26, 2026, 03:32:48 pm

Flipping the tips.

Title: Re: Osage Flat Bow
Post by: bentstick54 on January 26, 2026, 03:35:55 pm

Full brace and at 24”

Title: Re: Osage Flat Bow
Post by: bentstick54 on January 26, 2026, 03:45:22 pm

Getting close, still have to lose  a couple of pounds yet. Applied antlerless tip overlays tip overlays.

Title: Re: Osage Flat Bow
Post by: bentstick54 on January 26, 2026, 03:47:05 pm

I got the final pounds off at full draw, and pretty happy with tiller.

Title: Re: Osage Flat Bow
Post by: bentstick54 on January 26, 2026, 03:52:04 pm

Staining the back of the bow and back of snake skins. Both snake skins were road kill and had some blood staining I tried to wash out but was unsuccessful, so I stained them to try to blend in. Then taped off the bow and applied skins with TTB3.

Title: Re: Osage Flat Bow
Post by: bentstick54 on January 26, 2026, 03:56:08 pm

Skins applied.

Title: Re: Osage Flat Bow
Post by: bentstick54 on January 26, 2026, 04:00:52 pm

Six coats of Truoil, handle wrap applied, and full draw.

Title: Re: Osage Flat Bow
Post by: Robert Pougnier on January 26, 2026, 04:11:15 pm

Another sweet looking bow, really nice job!

Title: Re: Osage Flat Bow
Post by: Pappy on January 26, 2026, 07:11:20 pm

Beautiful bow in all aspects, love the skins. Pappy

Title: Re: Osage Flat Bow
Post by: Selfbowman on January 26, 2026, 08:24:36 pm

I like it!!!

Title: Re: Osage Flat Bow
Post by: medicinewheel on January 27, 2026, 02:55:32 am

Nice bow!
Perfect tiller imo!

Title: Re: Osage Flat Bow
Post by: superdav95 on January 27, 2026, 04:16:31 am

Love it.  That bend looks sweet too.   

Title: Re: Osage Flat Bow
Post by: Jim Davis on January 27, 2026, 11:39:26 am

Very nice. Those dimensions are what I use for all my Osage bows, though I leave the tips straight.

Fine work as usual!

Title: Re: Osage Flat Bow
Post by: Badger on January 27, 2026, 11:57:30 am

   Beautiful job!

Title: Re: Osage Flat Bow
Post by: Burnsie on January 27, 2026, 02:31:43 pm

Ho-humm, another perfectly tillered bow from Brian.
Seriously, another beauty! You are my standard bearer for tillering - what I strive for in my learning curve.
I even copied your tillering board grid.

Title: Re: Osage Flat Bow
Post by: bentstick54 on January 27, 2026, 02:53:38 pm

Thanks everyone.
Jim, I have about 35 that I have built and always left the tips straight, so I thought I would broaden my scope a little bit and flipped the tips on the last 2. I have not been able to shoot tons since I did due to recovering from finger surgery, but what I have been able to shoot, I’m not noticing a big difference in performance. I could be wrong though?

Burnsie, thanks, but I’m not sure I should be your “ gold standard”. There’s lots of guys here with hundreds more bows than me, and way better. But hope one day maybe, I can step up to their abilities and quality.