Is Osage orange a good bow wood?
Osage orange grows durable wood that’s ideal for building bows. The wood is a brilliant orange when spit from the tree, and darkens to a caramel color as it ages. A small subset of traditional archers are enthralled with the wooden bow’s simplicity and effectiveness.
What is a stave bow?
A bow stave is your base material for what will eventually be your bow. The ideal beginner’s bow making stave will be straight and over four inches in diameter. The larger the diameter of the branch, the flatter the back of the bow will be (the part of the bow facing away from you when you draw it).
How long should a bow stave dry?
After one week I bring the stave inside and put it in a dark corner for three more weeks. This is usually long enough for a properly thinned down stave to dry before starting to work it into a bow.
What kind of trees are bows made of?
Bows are made from the wood of many trees. Hard woods such as hickory, white ash, elm, oak, maple and beech are suitable for making bows, although each wood has different hardness and elasticity. A bow can be made out of any wood, but bows made from soft woods such as pine and sycamore may break under tension.
What is the best wood to make a bow?
Osage orange
Some of the best wood for making bows include Osage orange, yew, ash, black locust, and hickory; most hardwoods (like oak and maple) will work. Start with a relatively straight sapling or branch that is free of knots, side branches, and twists, about 6 feet (2 m) long and 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter.
Where are Osage-orange trees located?
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION : Osage-orange is native to a narrow belt in eastern Texas, southeastern Oklahoma, southwestern Arkansas, and the extreme northwest corner of Louisiana. This belt includes portions of the Blackland Prairies, Chiso Mountains, and the Red River drainage [4].
What is yew bow?
The ghostly folklore of England’s yew — the tree wood used to make the deadly longbow. These bows were constructed with a combination of yew heartwood for compressive strength and the sapwood for elasticity. With its hard oak arrows, an archer could fell a fully armored knight at two hundred yards with a single shot.
What wood makes the best bow?
Some of the best wood for making bows include Osage orange, yew, ash, black locust, and hickory; most hardwoods (like oak and maple) will work. Start with a relatively straight sapling or branch that is free of knots, side branches, and twists, about 6 feet (2 m) long and 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter.
How thick should a bow be?
For most woods, 3/4 inch is a good thickness to shoot for. The only place to leave thicker is the center ten inches of your bow. This will be where your handle lies and can be 1 1/2 inches thick.
Where can I buy Osage orange staves and bows?
Our Osage Orange Staves and Bows are sold only at www.osageorange.com Please call us anytime at 319 835 5892 or email us.We sell the wood that gives you an opportunity for a real EXPERIENCE in Bowmaking. E MAIL FROM CUSTOMERS. The following E Mails are what our Osage Stave Customers have to say about the quality staves from
Who builds the Osage bow?
James Easter has built the Osage Bow for over 11 years and personally works up each Osage Stave we offer for sale.He also grades each stave with careful consideration of Growth Ring thickness,Limb Knots,and Straightness.
Why choose James Easter Osage bows?
James Easter has made Osage Bows for over 23 years and spends considerable time and work to produce the Osage Stave.James does his best to provide the right Osage Stave for you.He works each Stave by hand and with the knowledge only a Bowyer has from his experience to produce the best you
What lengths do your Osage staves come in?
We offer all lengths from 50 inches to 80 inches and all of our Osage Staves are very generous in the amount of wood we provide. E-Do you ship to Europe?