Osage has broken my heart...

[Fox]

Untitled by Livvydog, on Flickr

Untitled by Livvydog, on Flickr

Untitled by Livvydog, on Flickr


....first low brace.... Boom..... *sigh*


-Fox

[RyanY]

You hate to see it. Sorry bud. I had a thin ring Osage bow explode into 5 pieces a few years back at the classic. Sometimes it just isn’t meant to be.

[bassman]

That is a bad break for both you,and the bow. Build them long enough ,and that will happen. Pick yourself up,dust yourself off,and start all over again. Over the years I have broken more than my share of bows for one reason, or another including sinew backed Osage if you can believe that. I feel bad for you in that Osage can be hard to come by.

[Pat B]

Sorry about that. Can you tell why or where the break initiated? Might help prevent it the next time.

[Fox]

yep its the sad sad part of making bows... I can't figure what happened , no hinge, I thought I did plenty good of a job chasing a ring. maybe it was too dry, or some unforeseen flaw in the wood,\

[Digital Caveman]

What is that wood's history?  That break is to stair-stepped for my liking.  All the sound wood I've broken has splintered on the back.  On that piece it looks like the whole ring broke at one spot.  Is there any chance the wood had some dry rot or other decay?

[Tradslinger]

Sicking moment for sure. I was final tillering a bow with my dad watching and it exploded. but it was just red oak. I am in process of building an Osage bow though, trying to do my best as well. wishing you the best if and when you start another one. For a lot of us, Osage is like gold and hard to come by.

[Fox]

Yes osage is certainly like gold to me... it did not have any rot, the staves were handled well... one thought was too dry... it has been in my house which is usually around 20-30% humidity from the wood stove.

[bradsmith2010]

heating bow,,in dry winter conditions, can make it break,, or bring the moisture content dangerously low,,

[Fox]

Well I heated it but two weeks ago, figured that'd be plenty enough time for it to rehydrate, maybe not though?

[RyanY]

Equilibrium would be at 4.5-6% MC for that low of humidity and temp of 70F.

[Digital Caveman]

I have heard that Osage needs more moisture than other woods like oak, and elm, is this true?

[bradsmith2010]

im not saying that broke it,, but something to consider,, but bows are more likely to fail when moisture content too low,, It might not re hydrate in low moisture condidtions,, I have a moisture meter and my bows were getting below 8 %,, so i sprayed the bow I was working on to get it up to 10,,%  cause I have broken bows and then measured them and they were 6%,, I asked Mark ST Lous about heat treating a bow in low moisture climate,,, and he said dont on that particular bow,,,, so I am just careful and take it into considreation,,
Im just saying maybe you didnt do anything wrong the moisture content got you,,

[bjrogg]

Sorry for your loss.

I’m just curious. You didn’t heat the back of bow by any chance? In case you didn’t know. Never heat the back . Only the belly.

Bjrogg

[Fox]

Yep thanks bradsmith, I’m thinking it is mc that got me....  yeah I didn’t heat the back brjogg I had a locust bow pop a splinter the other day... I think it’s just too dry in here... going to have to start keeping the bows and staves in the shop I suppose...