tips for choosing an osage stave

[osagejack]

just wandering what good tips everyone has,,i like to see the staves without bark cause no matter how close u look there will still be defects hidden,,i also like to have the belly side of stave flattened somewhat this will show defects that don't show on the back side,,

[mullet]

I agree, Mike. Also, one chased to a growth ring is a big plus for me.

[osagejack]

also remember that when looking at the end of stave,that the layers of glue will magnifiy the grain,i also like to see the sides of stave untouched,,that way you can see that the longitutdal  grain is not violated,  also if it has bark on don't be afraid to ask to remove the bark to get a good look at it,,,,,mike

[Buckeye Guy]

Kinda like going to pick apples take what you can get !
Yes Mike it is more desirable if you peel it and flatten the belly but leave the sides !
of coarse Then if you have some that has been drying for 15 or 20 years then you are talking the good stuff for sure !!  And can we order them with red steaks also ? 
Mike you know what we want ,I am sure !!!
Hope to see ya soon !!

[osagejack]

I also like to see some shellac on the belly side of stave will prevent some cracks later on ,,also inquire about some type of warranty ,about what happens if you start working it and discover an unseen flaw,,,,also check staves for scorching I have seen staves that have been heated and straightened,,while still in stave form,,hope these tips are helpful,,anyone have anything to add please do,,i am sure I can think of more later,,

[JackCrafty]

Yes, the bark peeled off is very good.  I like seeing as much of the wood as possible.  Clear sealers are great.

I prefer osage staves cut from large diameter longs.  Belly splits are fine too as long as the growth rings aren't to "arched"  I try to build my osage bows with as flat a back as possible.

[osagejack]

I tend to like smaller logs, I like the big ones but they always lead to valleys in the back  and really slow down chasing a ring,,i really like the inside splits because I don't have to remove any sapwood

[Pappy]

Love belly splits,in a lot of cases all you need to do is clean up the ring,it will a lot of times split right down it. I also don't care for really thick growth rings, 1/8 is plenty wide and thinner is OK for me as long as the ratio is good,the thinner the winter ring the better.
   Pappy

[osagejack]

yes it is hard to beat the inside splits sometimes they will require less work,,also on most large trees, the inside splits come at a point in the trees life that they were making good wood,,plus even know it is not drying it is being aged for 20 or 30 years,,that cant hurt,,  it Is hard to beat those thin strong rings,,but  I also like those bow limbs with only one ring on them

[ohma2]

one thing i notice alot with less experience folks is not paying attention to the amount of early to late wood in the stave. i also agree that one should take  a hard look at the side of the stave and follow the path of the rings down the side.

[toomanyknots]

I also like to see some shellac on the belly side of stave will prevent some cracks later on ,,also inquire about some type of warranty ,about what happens if you start working it and discover an unseen flaw,,,,also check staves for scorching I have seen staves that have been heated and straightened,,while still in stave form,,hope these tips are helpful,,anyone have anything to add please do,,i am sure I can think of more later,,

I don't like the belly or the sides to be sealed, just because the moisture has to go somewhere, and I would rather it check on the belly from moisture loss than on the back. And if you buy a stave from someone, and you find an unseen flaw after working it, I wouldn't think that it would be the guys fault who sold it to you, as long as it was unseen to begin with. Drying checks should mostly always be visible on the outside of the stave. However, sometimes there will be random cracks in the wood for some reason, or punky spots that are crumbly, or knots that hide inside the wood somehow,  . Most of the time though if the stave looks good on the outside (after bark and or sapwood is removed) than it is usually fine. Harvesting your own is always a plus if you can.

[toomanyknots]

one thing i notice alot with less experience folks is not paying attention to the amount of early to late wood in the stave. i also agree that one should take  a hard look at the side of the stave and follow the path of the rings down the side.

True. When cutting my own, I take whatever I can get though. After the hours it takes me downing and splitting an osage tree, I will take anything I can use, .

[osagejack]

another point to consider Is length,,i think 72 is standard  but I consider 66 and up to be full length,,  then 60 to 66 to be in another group,,,then 52 to 60  and the price should go down the shorter the stave,, and also don't be afraid to haggle  especialy  if you get more that one,,it never hurts to ask,,

[osagejack]

I actually like to seal the back with at least two layers of tb2,,and the belly with shellac  ,,the two layers of glue will block moisture on the back the one layer of shellac on the belly wont prevent moisture to exit,,but will even out the exit of moisture,,which Is what causes cracks, the osage that I work down to all heartwood I will seal the entire stave with one layer of shellac,,just evens out the drying and prevents checking,,

[toomanyknots]

I actually like to seal the back with at least two layers of tb2,,and the belly with shellac  ,,the two layers of glue will block moisture on the back the one layer of shellac on the belly wont prevent moisture to exit,,but will even out the exit of moisture,,which Is what causes cracks, the osage that I work down to all heartwood I will seal the entire stave with one layer of shellac,,just evens out the drying and prevents checking,,

Hmmm, didn't know that. So shellac lets the wood breath sort of? I guess it makes sense, might be why it is a preferred finish for wooden instruments? I don't have any experience with shellac admittedly.