osage vs. argentinian osage/ update with pics

[don s]

for those who have actually used both american and argentinian osage. is there a noticeable difference in the two woods. i posted a while back about a source for osage(boards) and i believe it is from argentina. it is pretty dark which tells me that it's not recently cut which, for making bows is good. the guy at the store says that when it first came in it was the bright yellow of osage and has darkened since being there.which isn't that long. i have a bbo that i made in 2004 and although it has darkened, it's not as dark as the osage that is for sale. would that indicate it's from argentina? is the argentina species as good as american osage?
               don

[Pat B]

Argentine osage is a bit darker than the US variety but my experience is with two tapered slats 1/8"x2"x36". That's all I've ever seen.    Osage darkens due to it's light sincivity. By scraping the surface you can see the true color. Osage will darken pretty quickly if left in sunlight. Put a piece of fresh cut osage in sunlight for a week with a piece of black electrical tape on it. Remove the tape later and see the difference.

[don s]

well, tomorrow i'll go and pick up a nice osage board. i should be able to get 3 bows out of it. maybe 4. for $40.00 i can't go wrong. i wish the wood would stay that electric yellow. i love that.
     don

[SEMO_HUNTER]

If you want it to stay as yeller as possible Don, be sure and keep it out of the sunlight and finish it as soon as possible when the bow is complete. It will darken a tad bit more over time, but the finish on the outside will stop any darkening from getting too dark.
I've actually left mine unfinished for a period of time and let it get some sun trying to darken it up naturally to get that brownish red/bronze color. Then finished it after it aged a bit.

[okie64]

I guess everyone has their preference but I'm with Semo on this one. I like my osage that dark bronze color.

[NYArrow]

I never really knew there was such a thing until recently I was reading  a post by a feller from Argentina. Check out this link if it of any use to you. It may be worth your time just to ensure you know exactly what your getting.

 http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,6916.45.html

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Originally posted by okie64:
I guess everyone has their preference but I'm with Semo on this one. I like my osage that dark bronze color.

That natural color would also go quite well with some snake skins on it, especially copper heads because the natural bronze color of Osage is near perfect match with copper heads. I think those make some absolutely gorgeous sticks.
But that's just what trips my trigger.......everybody has their own tastes.
That's why I love the looks of DVSHunter's bows so much, his style is what I hope to achieve with my own bow making eventually.

[Pat B]

I love the look of old osage and enjoy the color change as it happens. I rarely stain or dye wood bows because I love to see the actual wood and grain is all it's glory.

[don s]

this osage i am going to get is at a woodcraft store. i was supposed to go today but ended up having to do something else. they said they're supplier is in PA. i need to ask some questions first. this osage is very dark in color. if this has been stored in the woodcraft store it should not be as dark as it is. the price is $12.00 per board foot.
          don

[Pat B]

Take your scraper and ask if you can scrape a small area so you can see the color. It won't hurt the board.

[don s]

thats a good idea pat. i think thats what i'll do. the one clerk there told me that when it came in it was yellow. i googled argentinian osage, maclura tinctoria and info i read was that osage from argentina stays yellow a lot longer than it's american cousin, maclura pomifera.
           don

[don s]

i just got back from woodcraft. i paid $43.50 total for this osage board. the lighting in the store made the wood appear a dark brown. i scraped the wood and revealed the yellow. click on the pic and it     will take you to more pics. measurements are 80 1/2", 6 1/8", 15/16". total cost $43.50.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Thats seems a fair price for 3 bows worth?

[k-hat]

Just when i think i know what a board should look like (grain/rings) for building a bow (ie: straight ring lines etc), i see ur pic.  Beautiful wood, but the face of the board i'm looking at i would run from at the store.  So maybe i'm shyin away from boards that i can use.  Can someone clarify?  What do the other faces of the board look like?  Is this a selection from TBB's "advanced" class?

[don s]

k-hat. i plan on backing the bows i make from this board. at 15/16 thick i have plenty to work with. there is one end of the board that has some undesireable wood but that is at the 72" mark. i can cut that off and still have plenty of length. my pics show both sides, both ends and the side showing thickness. there also is a pic of the nasty stuff i can cut off.
         don

[k-hat]

That makes sense. For some reason i can't see the other pics when i click on it, just the one shown here.  Maybe i need to get a photobucket membership to view the rest.  Thanks for the clarification!

[don s]

here are the pics if anyone else can't see them.
 .

 

[don s]

end grain.
 
yellow wood under the darker wood
 

[don s]

price tag.
thickness  
the bad wood

[No-sage]

At 72" you should be able to get handle wood from the same board.

Nice find.

The squirrely grain could still cause you some problems so lay out your bows well.  Even if you have to waste 1 bows worth of wood, it would be better than having a couple break.