"OSAGE" Who Likes It ??

AdamH · May 01, 2010, 12:04:00 PM

In a limb through & through, not Veneers, {L/B's} are ya gettin any different tones or noise when shooting {even with heavy arrows} ?? Thanks Fellas ....

bentpole · May 01, 2010, 06:04:00 PM

Over&Under · May 01, 2010, 06:45:00 PM

Not a fan myself, too light in color and not enough grain (generaly speaking)

That said, it makes some great accents to touch off a darker wood..

cbCrow · May 01, 2010, 07:25:00 PM

I shoot a harrelson D bow that has osage lams and bacote riser . It is quiet,smooth and sweet!

Bill Kissner · May 01, 2010, 07:47:00 PM

Absolutely my favorite wood! It isn't a light colored wood after it has aged. I have a couple that are a beautiful amber/brown.

ron w · May 01, 2010, 07:50:00 PM

One of my favorites,even better as it ages.....

Wannabe1 · May 01, 2010, 08:00:00 PM

My absolute favorite bow wood!

nightowl1 · May 01, 2010, 08:06:00 PM

I wasn't aware of just how dark and deep osage can get. Not sure if its my favorite but a real unique looking piece of osage is hard to beat. My bow looks better and better every time i shoot it, except for the dings and scratches. :rolleyes:

AdamH · May 01, 2010, 08:16:00 PM

Thanks much fellas, how about it's shooting characteristics compared to the Elms, Maples & Boo ... Not so much the color, but shootability, Thanks Again ...

joevan125 · May 01, 2010, 08:23:00 PM

I have a PSA X osage with copperhead skins and everywhere i go i get a lot of nice complimates about the bow.

Bowferd · May 01, 2010, 08:36:00 PM

Yes, I'm addicted to it.

Bowwild · May 01, 2010, 08:38:00 PM

I don't have any experience with solid-limb bows. I do have a Fox High Sierra with limb faces of osage under clear glass. At first it was yellow. Then, in a couple of years the wood aged, under the glass no less! Now the limbs have darkened a lot. I prefer woods with more grain diversity though. Many of the bowyers I've talked to, at least regarding veneers, say there isn't much performance difference between woods. Of course in solids I would imagine there would be. I would have to admit that only yew and osage remind me of original bow woods though.

May 01, 2010, 08:49:00 PM

i think he wants to know diferences in shooting quality----->

highpoint forge · May 01, 2010, 09:08:00 PM

I'll let you know when I shoot my new JD Berry Argos longbow, the one and only Osage he has made.... I threw out my back twice in 12 days and I'm surfing TG on my iPhone in bed laying on ice packs and muscle relaxer...

David Mitchell · May 01, 2010, 09:11:00 PM

Adam, I think that there is little difference between core woods if talking recurves or thinner cored hybrid (nearly recurve) longbows. Where I have seen a difference in feel is in Hill type deep cored longbows. Osage is quite a bit heavier than elm or bamboo and that is reflected in the feel of the heavier limbs going forward at release. Of course there are variables in this too. The bow must be properly tillered or any core woods will shock the daylights out of you. That being said, as I mentioned to you on another thread one of my best shooters accuracy-wise was a Kohannah longbow I stupidly let go a few years ago. While it shot well it had more shock in hand than some of my other bows and I think it had to do with the heavy limbs......Dave

hillbilly61 · May 01, 2010, 09:14:00 PM

I've made 2 osage bows. One self and one laminated with boo. The boo backed is noticebly faster. Both are the same draw weight.

Bowferd · May 01, 2010, 09:25:00 PM

I would think that a well designed and tillered osage selfbow would shoot as good if not better than most all alternative native species wood.
Yew might possibly be an exception.
From my research (not experience) Osage and Yew have been considered the premier wood choice for selfbows over an extended period of time.
Hickory and Lemonwood running 3rd and 4th.
Figure there must be a good reason for this.

AdamH · May 01, 2010, 11:59:00 PM

Thanks for all of the responses, some GOOD lookin bows here, and Dave I think you nailed it, the reason I ask is, I have a MOHAWK L/B that is about 65/35 Osage/Boo in the limbs, 65 on the Boo, absolute shooter, was wondering if All Osage limbs would be beneficial on my next one or not, if I need a "Next" one ... Smile goes here ... Thanks Fellas ...

chanumpa · May 02, 2010, 01:09:00 AM

My favorite too.Smooth,strong,fast and beautifulland unique.It speeks voluemes that it almost never needs to be backed in a self bow as well.My opinion,thats all,Chanumpa

tippit · May 02, 2010, 06:59:00 AM

Osage is my all time favorite for bows & knife handles. This year's Bear Quest Osage selfbows and Bengj's Tonkin arrows...Doc