OSAGE!!

[KyStickbow]

What do u guys think about Osage? Is it one of the quieter woods or maybe loud? Is it springy when shot...etc?

I have never shot Osage before...just looking for your guys opinions!

I would love the look of Osage...and would love to see pics if you care to share.  

Thanks

[rainman]

Go to the Bowyers Bench and ask, you will get a lot of response.  I love osage.

[KyStickbow]

I will post it there as well...thanks.

[Lee Robinson .]

Osage is a very strong, dense, resilient, but heavy wood. I do not make selfbows, so I will leave that subject to those that do. For glass laminated bows though, I think it is best to use it in limited amounts and only on the belly...where its exceptional compression strength can be utilized. IMO, using osage in the core or on the back side of a glass laminated bow in my opinion adds unnecessary weight to the limb and doesn't utilize the exceptional compression strength of that wood.

[wollelybugger]

Osage self bows are really quiet. That is one tough wood.

[Crooked Stic]

Not a good choice for core lams in a glass bow. Too heavy and seems hasrh to draw. If you must have the look then use veneers back and belly. Great riser wood though.

[GRINCH]

Ilove the looks of an aged osage riser.

[frank bullitt]

I have an all osage r/d glass bow, made in the 80's. Very pretty, and hard shootin, durable bow!
But not the smoothest of draw!
I would use something else for a glass bow. Selfbows...nothing better for sure!

Mudd has an all osage, glass, Okaw Valley bow. Check it out on the Howard Hill thread!

Boo backed osage is a great combo, too!

[deaddoc4444]

I have a number of bows ( D and Reflex ) Long bows made of Osage in the core .
    VERY strong and makes a very fast bow and will last forever . It does tend to give more hand shock than other woods and it is a bit heavier .  
 I have not had an all-wood bow( no glass)  for some time now,  and I am about to order one from one of the good bowyers like David Knight etc.   It will CERTAINLY  be of osage and probably backed with bamboo.  I'll pick no other wood for that bow than osage .
  Not to mention how great it looks as it ages !!!

[kat]

I don't know that osage is any louder than any other wood.  It is a beautiful color of yellow, and ages to a great looking golden color.
For self bows, or bamboo backed bows, there is probably no better wood.  It has a very high specific gravity.  It is a hard wood to work with, and will test the sharpness of your tools.
Makes super looking veniers.

[ron w]

I love Osage, Someone mentioned that its not good under glass on a laminated bow, I guess they have never shot an Osage Ghost or Bush bow by Great Northern. Two bows that I should have never sold.I also had a Osage Northwind recurve that was nice, I sold that to drop down in poundage!

[Lee Robinson .]

Ron,

I am not saying it can't be used well in a laminated bow. It can. Randy of Saxon archery mentioned to me one time that despite osage being heavier, he liked it because he could use less of it and end up with the same pull weight of a less dense wood. So, while it is heavy, it does seem to have more resiliency. This is also supported with stats from various wood tests.

It can be used successfully in a laminated bow.

HOWEVER, since its strength is resiliency and compression...and its weakness is mass weight...I personally will only use it on the belly side...and will combine it with a lighter material that has good tension strength on the tension side (something like bamboo or red elm). Used this way, I actually like osage and am now offering it in my line of bows as an optional belly venier. (Although it isn't on my order form yet).

[Mudd]

If there are any out there that feel or shoot any better than this Osage Royale... I want one!

 
 
 
 
 
 

God bless,Mudd

[LongStick64]

Somebody say Osage !!!

 

[mikebiz]

Here are a couple of Hill "Crocodiles" from Dick Wightman's site.  Please visit the site if you have time.  Dick put a lot of work into it and he's a really great guy.  This is a link to Dick's site Howard Hill Longbowmen's site:
 http://www.dickwightman.com/howardhill/hhsindex.html

I think Don Jochem's all Osage bow is a stunner.  I would love to see that thing after a few years of mellow aging.

Don Jochem's all Osage Crocodile
 

Joe Yanta's Crocodile:  Osage limbs/Gaboon Ebony riser
   

Personally I love the look of Osage Orange.  I have Osage limb tips (under elk stag), riser overlays (under curly maple) and riser accent stripe on my BamaBows Elite Classic.

[Mudd]

mikebiz Thank you for posting those!

They are absolutely the "cat's meow".

God bless,Mudd

[KyStickbow]

Awesome looking bows guys...thanks for sharing!!