Why Osage?

[dannyvp]

I've been trying to figure this out.
Why are most people making their selfbows from Osage?
Orange osage is the horse apple tree right?

[TexMex]

your are correct as to the why, I think its the best wood for a bow

[Bjorn]

One reason might be that it is simply an outstanding wood-in the right hands. I recently got a Strunk made osage self bow that shoots circles around glass laminated flat long bows.

[Blackhawk]

Aged osage not only looks good, but it is strong, smooth, fast. What else is there?

[ishiwannabe]

Hey....Im trying hickory!  

[Osagetree]

OSAGE,,, mmmmmmmm!

[heydeerman]

My experience has been that osage limbed bows usually shoot heavier arrows better than bamboo.

[mmgrode]

Osage has the unique property of being strong both in compression and tension giving it a greater likelihood of durability.  This strength also increases cast with lower set after break in.  It is also one of the easiest woods to induce a bend into(ie. recurves and reflex) without breaking.  Combine the above with the inherent beauty and sometimes gnarly nature of the wood makes it my favorite yet. Have fun, Matt

[Richie Nell]

Another word for the Osage Orange tree is Bois d'arc.  That means "wood bow" or "wood of bow"

It has a color that is hard to replicate. Simply beautiful.

[ozarkcherrybow1]

I'll have to throw in that Osage has got to be the most forgiving wood for the mistakes that a beginning bowyer makes. It is the only wood that I have found that will survive the stress  of being a bow, when it has bad longitudenal splits in it. Osage is, indeed, an amazing wood!

[BamBooBender]

What I like about it,in addition to some of the things mentioned above, is how little of it you need to make a hunting weight bow. White woods will make a nice bow, but osage will make the same weight  bow, only a lot slimmer and sleeker.imo

[Flatstick]

I agree with all the above, osage was just meant to be bow wood. Plus you can pry your truck out of the mud without damaging the bow    it is just that tough!

[Shakes.602]

If you can get your truck outta the Mud with the Bow, does that mean it has Excellent Cast?          

[Flatstick]

Shakes,,,if the bow is tillered just right considering tension & compression, osage will cast that truck out of the mud hole without taking a set!  

[Roy from Pa]

I love Osage for Bows.

[Jason Lester]

Just try it you'll see.  

[Ron LaClair]

When Art Young and Saxon Pope went to hunt the cold Alaskan north they left their beloved Yew bows behind and opted for Osage... that should tell you something.

I've got an old Osage bow, 64", 60#@28" that was made in the early 1940's. I still shoot it from time to time. Osage is tough and durable and the best choice for a wood bow that you want to last IMHO.  

[DaleinOhio]

Check out the quote from Meriweather Lewis below.  He wrote it in his journal during his famous trek across the continent.  Seems osage has been the bow wood of choice for a LONG time.

[Eric Krewson]

I believe a well made osage bow will last the owner a life time.

For me it is readily available where I live, and a challenge to take it's normally dogleg, twisted configuration and turn it into a straight nicely reflexed bow stave.

It works easily, much easier to rasp and scrape than hickory and has a wonderful radiance in is grain. Watching those golden curls scrape from the wood makes you feel rich and privileged to own it.

It will make a great bow of any design design, narrow, wide, long or short, doesn't matter, osage is up to the task.

It cuts like a raw potato when green, forget the tales about sparks flying from a chain saw or dulling blades one after another. Anybody that sees sparks flying from their chain when they cut it has hit grit embedded in the bark or hit a nearby rock.

I guess you all can tell I love of osage. I also have enough cut and stored to last me a lifetime.

[wakolbinger]

the real question is..why use anything else?