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Author Topic: hickory or maple backed osage  (Read 970 times)

Offline Zradix

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hickory or maple backed osage
« on: November 06, 2013, 03:17:00 PM »
Thinking of making a backed osage r/d longbow.

If both pieces of backing are good quality..etc etc..
What are the pros/cons of hickory vs maple as a backing?

I'm leaning towards hickory mostly because I've read it has sorta intertwined fibers that make it pretty tough stuff.

Thanks    :thumbsup:
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If some animals are good at hunting and others are suitable for hunting, then the Gods must clearly smile on hunting.~Aristotle

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Offline Don Stokes

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Re: hickory or maple backed osage
« Reply #1 on: November 06, 2013, 03:24:00 PM »
My Torges bow is Osage backed with hickory, if that helps.
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Offline Zradix

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Re: hickory or maple backed osage
« Reply #2 on: November 06, 2013, 03:27:00 PM »
lol..yep that helps
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If some animals are good at hunting and others are suitable for hunting, then the Gods must clearly smile on hunting.~Aristotle

..there's more fun in hunting with the handicap of the bow than there is in hunting with the sureness of the gun.~ F.Bear

Offline LittleBen

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Re: hickory or maple backed osage
« Reply #3 on: November 06, 2013, 03:35:00 PM »
Never had a problem with straight grained hickory. But it's not magical ... if you have grain runout you will have problems.

Maple, no experience .... but honestly ... why bother ... hickory is the top dog in my book.
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Offline Zradix

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Re: hickory or maple backed osage
« Reply #4 on: November 06, 2013, 03:44:00 PM »
Thanks Ben.

I've heard/read over and over again that "hickory is best"..maybe tied or second to boo.

It's just nice to hear from guys who actually work with the stuff.

..wondered if it was kinda like the myth the only way to get a smooth drawing glass bow is to have a-boo cores.
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If some animals are good at hunting and others are suitable for hunting, then the Gods must clearly smile on hunting.~Aristotle

..there's more fun in hunting with the handicap of the bow than there is in hunting with the sureness of the gun.~ F.Bear

Offline red hill

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Re: hickory or maple backed osage
« Reply #5 on: November 06, 2013, 09:33:00 PM »
Hickory is a great backing but boo seems to give an osage bow more zip to me. I usually use one or the other depending what is available. I'm beginning to lean more to bamboo.
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Offline Pat B

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Re: hickory or maple backed osage
« Reply #6 on: November 07, 2013, 08:10:00 AM »
Both will make a good backing but I have had excellent results with hickory backed osage.
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Offline Echatham

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Re: hickory or maple backed osage
« Reply #7 on: November 07, 2013, 08:21:00 AM »
i have heard that white oak can be as good or better than hickory.  no experience to back it up, but i read it somewhere, and it might be worth looking into.  for me, white oak would be easier to come by in board form than hickory.
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Offline mmgrode

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Re: hickory or maple backed osage
« Reply #8 on: November 07, 2013, 09:34:00 AM »
For an r/d design, straight grained hickory makes an excellent backing material.  Strong, resilient, and inexpensive. If you've ever split a hickory log, you'll experience the interlocking fibers...they're a pain in the butt! While hickory is tough stuff, it can be thinned or trapped so as not to overpower any belly wood you use, minimizing set (caused by overcompression).  Personally, I've not had good experience with maple.

For a r/d bow bamboo ranks at the top of the heap for me, though the quality of bamboos can vary widely.
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Offline Zradix

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Re: hickory or maple backed osage
« Reply #9 on: November 07, 2013, 09:52:00 AM »
mmgrode..thank you

I enjoyed working with bamboo.
However I've seen firsthand the quality vary as you said.
I have really limited experience and maybe bad luck, as MANY guys use it, but I've received it with cross grain cracks, had it splinter in two spots on a bow that only had the rind slightly sanded( not scraped at all) and also with digs/gouges in the face that went into the fibers.

Just thought I'd try to stay away from that bit of unknown this time around.


Sounds like I'll be getting a subscription to HBO..lol
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If some animals are good at hunting and others are suitable for hunting, then the Gods must clearly smile on hunting.~Aristotle

..there's more fun in hunting with the handicap of the bow than there is in hunting with the sureness of the gun.~ F.Bear

Offline Zradix

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Re: hickory or maple backed osage
« Reply #10 on: November 07, 2013, 09:58:00 AM »
Eric..

Thanks for chiming in buddy.
How's that new tri lam doing for ya?

Hickory has been a trouble to find.
One store carries it about 45 mins from me.
Last time I was there I spent lots of time looking through EVERY hickory board they had...didn't find a single good one.

To be honest.. I'm just going to order a hickory backing for $26 and save the time and gas $$. My big ole truck gets about 10mpg. It'll cost me that to go to the store and back.
granted I might be able to get a few backs outta 1 board but who knows.

The oak is a thought. Most places have red oak around me though.

I'm thinking it's going to end up hickory.
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If some animals are good at hunting and others are suitable for hunting, then the Gods must clearly smile on hunting.~Aristotle

..there's more fun in hunting with the handicap of the bow than there is in hunting with the sureness of the gun.~ F.Bear

Offline Echatham

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Re: hickory or maple backed osage
« Reply #11 on: November 07, 2013, 10:36:00 AM »
tri-lam is fine... shoots good, and feels good but seems to be a bit noisy, almost like a clacking sound.  think it may be my string nocks.

ive got a couple white oaks and hickories that are to close to the house and need to come down.  might be lots of backing material and/or staves there.
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Offline Zradix

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Re: hickory or maple backed osage
« Reply #12 on: November 07, 2013, 10:44:00 AM »
Glad to hear it's doing good.

my bbo had a sound I might describe as clacking as well.

I'm pretty sure the limbs weren't timed worth a darn.
...too much vibes too.
Still shooting it..it's my hunting bow this year.

I tried rubber silencers as they were my go to material.
No matter what I did a couldn't get it quiet.

Then I tried some yarn puffs I had laying around.
full yarn puff didn't work.,,actually made it worse.

I trimmed it down.. a lot... and my bow got quiet.

I ended up using some hush puppies from the Green girls.
Just 7 pieces of the yarn per silencer made it just right.
I think it worked better than the rubber because it's lighter.
Anything heavier like the rubber made the noise worse.
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If some animals are good at hunting and others are suitable for hunting, then the Gods must clearly smile on hunting.~Aristotle

..there's more fun in hunting with the handicap of the bow than there is in hunting with the sureness of the gun.~ F.Bear

Offline Echatham

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Re: hickory or maple backed osage
« Reply #13 on: November 07, 2013, 10:55:00 AM »
yeah mine does it if you even just pluck the string a couple inches at brace.  comes from the tips like mayb the string is smacking  the grooves on the return.  im thinking if i rework them it might improve.  also thinkin this bow might be a gift for someone...  something about it just doesn't fit me... can't explain it.
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Offline Zradix

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Re: hickory or maple backed osage
« Reply #14 on: November 07, 2013, 10:57:00 AM »
mine did too buddy.
..but the noise didn't seem to come from the tips.
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If some animals are good at hunting and others are suitable for hunting, then the Gods must clearly smile on hunting.~Aristotle

..there's more fun in hunting with the handicap of the bow than there is in hunting with the sureness of the gun.~ F.Bear

Offline LittleBen

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Re: hickory or maple backed osage
« Reply #15 on: November 07, 2013, 11:29:00 AM »
I've had problems with white oak ... not sure if it was my board or not ... but it's been a tough pill to swalloiw ... I wouldn;t recommend it.
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