backing a thin ringed osage.

[Rob W.]

My latest bow is a snakey, narrow thin ringed osage. It shoots well and has taken little set but the rings worry me. What would you recommend  for backing? I have used rawhide before and linen. Also where are you guys getting your rawhide? Deer, goat, antelope?  Thanks.

[bradsmith2010]

i like deer hide,, cause it is very thin,,, and strong,,does not seem to slow the bow down at all,,

[Badger]

  I never back thin ringed osage, no need. It should be fine.

[Pat B]

I've also used deer rawhide for thin ringed osage

[sleek]

I have never backed thin rings either and 8 mostly make thin ring bows. Of course back it if you want, or have tool marks you cant get rld of, but with out flaws thin ring bows last well as thick.

[PEARL DRUMS]

The thinnest, cleanest rawhide you can find. Like Brad said, young deer hide is nice.

[crooketarrow]

  Theres no need to back any osage bows.

  Like all osage bows I make. Even thin ringed bows I use the first ring under the sawood.

  Most back rings are stronger than thicker rings under it. I've never backed a osage bow in my life.

  I've even made 2 personal bows with boarers holes. Both were 64" and 60" 61#@26" both were shooters. The 60" had 7 holes.

[PEARL DRUMS]

If you have never backed an osage bow in your life, Roy. You cant stand up and yell it's not needed. 

[BowEd]

Rob W.....To get this thin rawhide maybe you already know this but I frame up a yearling.Flesh and dry scrape dehair it.It will be paper thin and perfect then.

[BowEd]

If it's a feeling of security you want do it but sometime you may shoot someones' bow that is thin ringed and see for yourself most times it is not needed.IMHO.

[Del the cat]

If you have never backed an osage bow in your life, Roy. You cant stand up and yell it's not needed.

That makes no logical sense.
If you have backed Osage bows and they haven't broken... you can't say if they would have broken if left unbacked.
Conversely if you haven't backed any and they haven't broken... then you can say they didn't need backing.
The only scenario that suggests backing may have been necessary is if you have made unbacked ones... and they've broken!

Sorry if that's all a bit pedantic
Just sayin'

BTW I do have an interest as I have some thin ring Osage from the Monster tree and I'm toying with how to handle it.... single ring back, rings running back to belly... or to back it?
Del

[Badger]

    The only time I would back a thin ringed osage was if the back was somehow compromised. One advantage might be protecting the back from nicks, a thin ring might be more sensitive to damage,

[BowEd]

ditto

[Badly Bent]

Thin ringed osage has been just fine unbacked in my experience, that is if you chased a ring without getting to thin in some areas and if the early/late wood ratio in the stave is good. I rawhide backed a couple osage bows when I first started years ago when it likely wasn't necessary. Conversely I also hunted with an unbacked one for a few seasons that had two serious ring violations on the back, right at midlimb and it held up fine. I used that one a lot, even killed 2 deer with it. The bow probably spent 60 days in the woods, strung all day and in all kinds of weather and survives still. Was the second bow I ever made and was crudely tillered and ugly to look at. But it was osage so it lives on.
Nothing wrong with backing yours as a just in case, if it blows because you didn't back it you'll trust your instincts next time.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I just finished a 56" RD bow that draws 48 @ 27". The rings where so thin and the early/late growth was a total blur, junk wood some may say. I couldn't find a decent back with sand paper. So, burn it or back it? That chose seems evident to me.