Found a perfect Osage log while walking today....selfbow or no?

highpoint forge · February 09, 2011, 01:31:00 PM

Snowy and 20F out today...perfect day to get out and walk......I glanced off the trail and see an Osage limb about 12" thick and 8' long exactly laying to the side of the trail. It was trimmed by the city. I see the bend in it, but I was thinking I should split it into quarters and take it home. What do the experts say? It has minimal checking in one section, that's it. The other end has barely any checking at all.

**DONOTDELETE** · February 09, 2011, 01:36:00 PM

Selfbow

highpoint forge · February 09, 2011, 01:41:00 PM

So just split it up and put it in my garage, put woodglue on the ends to cure? Do I need to be super careful splitting it into quarters according to where it's checked or what?

droz il · February 09, 2011, 01:43:00 PM

I'm no expert, but I say self bow.

highpoint forge · February 09, 2011, 01:52:00 PM

Gonna do it!

TroutGuide · February 09, 2011, 02:01:00 PM

Too bad you were not there when they were cutting it, it looks like there is another log in the trunk, could have gotten twice as many staves. I have been keeping my eye out for just this chance. Saw someone clearing a fence row a while back but there were no osage in it. I cant wait to get my hands on some. Enjoy your good luck! BTW how was your hunting this season? Any Hogs?

lablover · February 09, 2011, 02:37:00 PM

Split it into quarters and Glue up the ends with elmers or titebond and go up the sides about an inch or so. Lay it up flat somewhere out of the way and wait. Yes it is definitly a selfbow or more accuratly 4 bows. Any large knots or bad spots try to work around those when you split it. Layout will take care of the rest when you start building. Great looking piece of wood How thick are the growth rings? That will be the real telling factor. Good luck.

highpoint forge · February 09, 2011, 03:03:00 PM

The rings appear thick to me. I just don't have the wedges it takes to split the log. Mine kept breaking because they aer soft pine cut from a 2X6 square.

jasonbker · February 09, 2011, 03:08:00 PM

I'm thinking Billets and some great sets

ishoot4thrills · February 09, 2011, 03:54:00 PM

Looks good. Go for it!

SEMO_HUNTER · February 09, 2011, 04:03:00 PM

Definitely self bow, doesn't matter how straight or crooked, you can work out the details later on. Even the ugliest Osage stave will make a bow and with that......I don't cull but very few.
The checks in the ends aren't a concern right now, you can cut that off with a chainsaw later. Get it home and split it into at least quarters then seal the ends with some shellac, varnish, polyurethane, or any other sealer but I wouldn't waste wood glue on it. I've never used wood glue for sealing the ends, but have read about guys that said it wasn't good as a sealer on staves.

See if you can borrow a splitting maul and a sledge hammer from a neighbor, coworker, friend, ect. You'll only need it for an hour or two. A small hatchet works good for getting the split started, then put the point of the wedge or splitting maul in the crack on the top side of the log with it laying down. Work your way down the log until it splits in two, sometimes you gotta roll it over and do the other side to get it into 2 clean halves. Then do the same thing with the halves and split those in half. Seal the ends and store them in your garage. You will thank yourself for it later.
Good luck.

highpoint forge · February 09, 2011, 04:16:00 PM

That's what I am going to do....locate a maul and iron wedges to pick where I started today. With my medium handled Sandvik axe I got a split started dead center on the end, but my wedge tip broke in it once I started hammering. I'll start there with the wedge/maul tomorrow AM. I also started a thread in the Bowyer's Bench Forum for those interested...mods feel free to move/combine threads.

Bill Skinner · February 09, 2011, 10:09:00 PM

I would go back to the park with a saw and cut the leaning stump as close to the ground as I could get. The leaning stump looks like very good bow wood. Bill

sweeney3 · February 09, 2011, 10:41:00 PM

Man that is nice. Good rings, good early/late wood, decently straight it looks like. You really might consider going over to Primitive Archer and posting your question with those pics over there. Some of these same guys overlap plus there are some other serious osage selfbowyers there that have lots of good news. There are definatly some excellent bows in that log.

On second thought, you might not ought to put it on PA. They might strongarm it away from you.

broketooth · February 10, 2011, 11:55:00 AM

you aint got that thing home yet! :D

highpoint forge · February 10, 2011, 06:42:00 PM

GUYS GO OVER TO BOWYER'S BENCH FOR THE RESYT OF THE STORY AND PICS.......