Osage Orange staves

[Brokenlimb]

Can someone point me to a source for straight seasoned Osage Orange staves.  I am new to Primitive getting started in my early 70's.  Bow snapped while tillering.  I believe there was a defect in the stave.

Thanks for any help.

[JR Williams]

Pine Hollow Longbows. Mike is great to deal with and is a sponsor.

[JR Williams]

Nice username, I guess it was formost in your mind when you registered.

BTW, I think Mike gets $125 for his staves plus shipping which is a fair price especially if you don't have anything local.

[Mike Yancey]

Just got this load of 3 year old seasoned osage from IL a couple of weeks ago. Good stuff!!
Mikwww.pinehollowlongbows.com

[Lost Arra]

+1 for Pinehollow

[K.S.TRAPPER]

Mikes your man      :D  

Tracy

[sweeney3]

Just a thought, but if you are new to primitive, you might want to work on tillering something a little less expensive than a premium Osage stave.  Mike has a lot of other fine ways to start as well, and if you break a board or a non-Osage stave, you aren't out quite so much.  Typically, *would-be* bow failure is caused by improper tillering rather than a fault in the material, since pretty much all wood has SOME kind of fault in it.  The idea is to be able to work with/around it.

[nlester]

Hickory is a good starter word IMO

[Eric Krewson]

I would practice on hickory, ash, maple or perhaps a $6 red oak board from Lowe's before you try to get your first shooter from a nice piece of osage.

[Wallee]

I don't have any seasoned but I can get you some that is getting close to being seasoned! Another month or so and it will be good and dry.

[red hill]

I agree with posts above. Red oak is cheap. Hickory would be a better choice, imo. Then move on to osage. Good luck.

[Brokenlimb]

Thank you all for your suggestions and forgive me for taking so long to respont.

I took the advice to try a different wood so I bought a 1 X 3 piece of Red Oak.  I followed Boarriorbows's youtube video series and made a 66" Mollegabet style bow.  It tillered 47# at 27".  I backed it with linen and two coats of Polyurathane.  I allowed it to dry for three days.  The second time I drew it to 26" the lower limb snapped in two.  I guess I'll try Hickory next.  

I'd appreciate any suggestions on style to try that might give me a better chance for success.

Again thank you all for your suggestions.

[k-hat]

Do a simple american flatbow or meare-heath style bow, overbuilt.  Hickory is a great wood for both.  Get Traditional Bowyer's Bible I (or all 4), and read it through, get started and post on here for the good folks here to help you along.  If that wood would make a shooter, the Gang will help you get it there.

That's the take it slow answer.  Short answer:  hickory flatbow, 64-68" long.  4" handle (you can glue on a riser from the cut-off) 1.25" wide and 1.5" deep.  Fades transition from handle to limb by widening to 1.75" and thinning to about 5/8" (leave a hair more for tillering).  Limbs stay 1.75" wide for about 1/2 the limb length, then narrow to 1/2 to 3/8" nocks.  The parallel 1.75" section should thickness taper down to about 1/2 where the width taper begins, then leave it the same thickness to the tips.  Tiller away and enjoy.  

Look at plenty of pics of good bows and note especially how the fades are done.  The width should get to 1.75" about 1/8-1/4" BEFORE the thickness gets down to 5/8" (as you move toward the tip, that is).  Hope that makes sense.

[Black Mockingbird]

Where at r u in Pennsylvania?  I might be close enough or I might know someone which is close enough that can help you...and if your close enough to me id prob give ya a free stave and firsthand help if your willing to learn.

[michaelschwister]

Go with osage.  Nothing takes a licking like osage.  Will live a long life even with poor tiller unless it get overly dry. BTW, there is oasge growing EVERYWHERE in PA.