[bulldog42]

ok. i have heard that osage orange bows are the best and toughest bows out there. are they slower or faster than other bows? what is your input on this. just something i was wondering about. once again, put your input.

 

[crispy7229]

like to know myself

like to know my self there is a guy close to my home selling two osage orange bow staffs he didn't finish for $50 each or $80 for both is it a good buy?

 

[bulldog42]

i have no clue man. im guessing that it is a good buy as long as you know how to finish them. sorry but i dont know. i started this thread because im just getting into traditional archery and wanted to know the difference. sorry i cant help you on that one.

 

[huntersteve]

Osage...to me....is one of the better bow woods that there is....I have a bamboo backed osage that i bought and it is a great shooter.....If I had access to osage where I live...that's what i would be building all my bow's out of.....but to buy Osage staves can be a little pricy.....so i stick to good ole Hickory and Red Oak......Steve

 

[bulldog42]

sweet. we live in kansas so theres PLENTY of osage around here. just would need to find a good piece and learn how to make a bow.

 

[huntersteve]

bulldog...PM sent to you.....

 

[huntersteve]

crispy...PM sent to you also...Steve

 

[BLACK WOLF]

Osage is my favorite wood to build primitive bows with. It's super strong and tough...and it's color is cool

Ray

 

[shamus005]

if you are referring to selfbows (bows made of wood, no glass), then DESIGN is the key.

Match the right design to the species of wood and tiller it well, the rest will follow.

"What is the best wood?" is often asked when one is making their first bow, but that question is the wrong focus. The questions we should ask are (in order):

• 1. What are the best woods for the relative humidity of my climate?
• 2. What are the best designs for those woods?

More thoughts of mine on that:http://analogperiphery.blogspot.com/2007/02/selfbows-and-bowyery_23.html

hope it helps.

 

[Flying Dutchman]

What wood the lims are made of, is not an issue. It is 95% the design of the bow determing how it shoots.

 

[kegan]

For fiberglass lim laminations, it is a poor choice. Very heavy. Even the regular maple cores is better.

For selfbows, is is a forgiving wood. The high density, compression strength, and elasticity make it easy to get a good longbow of proper weight, and it's relatively easy to work. I don't have any growing around here that are available for cutting, so I stick with white oak and hickory. I've done two Osage bows and about a hundred white wood bows, and both of my Osage bows failed after a while. The wood doesn't lead to as much success as design and building (like Shamus said).

Best and toughest? No. Fastest? No. A quality bow wood? Definately.

 

[anw0625]

Is bamboo any better for bow?

 

[kegan]

Is bamboo any better for bow?

For FG inner lams, yes. For laminate wooden bows, yes.

 

[huntersteve]

bamboo is a great backing for wood bows.....one of my favorites..Steve

 

[christophe]

Here one of my osage orange longbows: 68", stringfollow, 70#@27, 5 lams: osage back and belly, 3 inner lams of bamboo. Reiser is made of palo santo, one of the heaviest ironwood (to soften handshock and vibrations). Bowyer is Puma Arqueria in Argentina.

- chris

 

[steve ypsi mi]

are they slower or faster than other bows

are they slower or faster than other bows

Osage is a average speed wood, tough, very good wood
If you had a 60 LB bow osage 160 FPS
Yew same pounds and length 170 FPS but much more fragile.
Built a few and did a lot of crono checking, 66 to 68 is a good length , shorter and same pounds will shoot faster but not as easy to shoot..
what Makes a self bow shoot well is when at its full draw that the shape of the limbs look like a c shape, if the limbs are flat looking won't be as fast or good shooting, the last 15 inchs on both ends should be tapered in to a small nock, wide flat limbs at this point have more weight and bulk to spring forward loosing speed and causing hand shock
the lighter the wood the faster the bow, less mass to go forward, Made a few hundred laminated bows, same thing but the osage was slower than Say Yew,Red cedar, Walnut and some others were all faster.
When it comes down to it after fooling around for 20 or so years, In a self bow speed is not that important, around 160 FPS is almost Ideal, 155 to 165 FPS is good for shooting instinct, very hard to shoot instinct with a bow aproaching 200 FPS, brain has a hard time with the drop at close range like 20 yds
Thats My 2 cent's and I am sticking by it

 

[kegan]

are they slower or faster than other bows

Osage is a average speed wood, tough, very good wood
If you had a 60 LB bow osage 160 FPS
Yew same pounds and length 170 FPS but much more fragile.
Built a few and did a lot of crono checking, 66 to 68 is a good length , shorter and same pounds will shoot faster but not as easy to shoot..
what Makes a self bow shoot well is when at its full draw that the shape of the limbs look like a c shape, if the limbs are flat looking won't be as fast or good shooting, the last 15 inchs on both ends should be tapered in to a small nock, wide flat limbs at this point have more weight and bulk to spring forward loosing speed and causing hand shock
the lighter the wood the faster the bow, less mass to go forward, Made a few hundred laminated bows, same thing but the osage was slower than Say Yew,Red cedar, Walnut and some others were all faster.
When it comes down to it after fooling around for 20 or so years, In a self bow speed is not that important, around 160 FPS is almost Ideal, 155 to 165 FPS is good for shooting instinct, very hard to shoot instinct with a bow aproaching 200 FPS, brain has a hard time with the drop at close range like 20 yds
Thats My 2 cent's and I am sticking by it

I dunno about the fiberglass laminates, but you're a little off in the selfbow part there...

Slefbows with a full arc of circle tiller are NOT ideal. Quite the contrary. The outer limbs should be stiff and nonbending. It reduces vibration and increases mechanical efficiency. If the inner limbs are left wide enough to contend with this strain, the final bow will be a superior weapon. Further, slefbows all shoot the same if designed the same, because less dense woods need more wood in the limbs to pull the same.

As for the speed, that's entirely opinion. Except selfbows can and do shoot faster (upwards of 170-175 for 28" draw and ~ 10 gpp arrow). Personally, I like a fast bow as long as it's also stable. Makes it easier to aim, and my mind gets so lazy!

Though, there are a number of archers who shoot exceptionally well insticntively (or at least barebow) with ~200+ fps bows (like Ray)

 

[habanero]

if anybody is interested

I have plenty of osage, and a sawmill. I could cut whatever you want or even find a bow shaped branch if that would work, I have zero knowledge of bow building. I won't charge you a fortune if you would like some. PM if interested.

 

[bulldog42]

yea. we have plenty of osage where i live. so it shouldnt be a problem

 

[woodbow]

I've made plenty of excellant bows using whitewoods and highly recommend Hickory for one's early attempts at selfbow making..

Overall, thru the years, Osage has/is still my favorite selfbow wood. Each species of wood will make an excellant bow if you know the proper design to use that takes advantage of each wood species strong/weak points.

Take advantage of the wood species that's available in your area.. Don't forget the lumber yard too.

woodbow