Love it!!!!!! love the color as it turns deeper

Adam, make a few Osage bows and do some comparison to other bow woods.  I have made over 700 bows and Osage is by far my favorite.  We have a lot of Yew locally but the durability of Osage is my choice over Yew.  I use Osage, Yew, and Vine Maple as my three favorite woods. But I make bows in the 60-75# range so I need woods that will be efficient at those draw weights.

Love it!  Don't own all these anymore but have owned them at one time or another... Wish I still had most of them!

Tribute to "OSAGE"

couple more:

Adam , i do feel a tad more of a "thump" when shhoting my osage lam bows ... and this is compared to other bows of exactly the same length, weight etc.
Having said that , i if i didn't swap between the osage and the yew , elm and boo bows i probably wouldn't notice it.
cheers
Ben

I like it in a selfbow, but I think you are referring to a laminated bow?  If so, my limited experience tells me to stay away from it.

'Course it will depend on the bow design, but two of the main things that affect performance are limb weight and recovery.  Osage isn't tops with either one, but if the design relies primarily on the glass to do the work (like most recurves) you probably won't see much difference.

In a narrow limbed, deep-cored longbow, it will make a difference.  I've only had once chance to shoot two longbows side-by-side that were the same model from the same bowyer, one with yew limbs and the other with osage limbs.  In that particular comparison, the yew drew noticeably smoother, was noticeably faster, and had WAY less hand shock.

Talk to the bowyer--he should be able to tell you what will work best in his design.  If possible, shoot a couple side-by-side and see what you think.  Personally, in a laminated longbow yew is my first choice.  Until I find something that works as well or better (haven't yet), it will be my only choice.

Chad

LBR, with mutual respect, I disagree.
You are a long time member and have much more experience under your belt than I have.
If you could send me a pc. of yew to compare with my osage? Maybe

I really like the looks of osage.  Would love to make an osage self bow and hunt with it this year but with limited resources and lack of a teacher close by that won't happen.

Osage has its own distinct natural beauty.

Bowferd, I don't make bows (only made one selfbow in my life so far), I just shoot them.  My experience with the two, head-to-head, was in one specific type of laminated longbow (Chek-Mate Crusader).  Based on that, I'd never order a Crusader with osage limbs (veneer would be ok).

I agree with Jacob.....I'm really starting to like it as an accent wood. It makes these limbs POP!! in combo with Coco......It does darken with age....This is a BlackCreek T/D..
 
 
 
 

I love it my GN Super Ghost has it and it gets nicer with age.

Guess I'm an oddball, but I like osage best when it's fresh and bright yellow!  I don't care as much for it after it turns brown.  Problem is, it won't stay the way I like it so I don't get it much any more.

The darkening factor is one of the reasons it is my favorite wood. If this thread is around comd mid July, I'll show you another reason!   :D

I have a Black Widow PGA Golden anniversary bow that is made of Osage, and the wood gets a darker honey color as time goes by. I like the wood.

I think you will like the shootability of a lighter core. Not much speed diff,but less shocky. JMO

I'd go with amber a-boo or red elm for core,will look very similar color after aging...

Unless you want contrast on limb edges of course.

I have a 62" Kohannah long bow completely made of Osage. No other wood in her. People who have shot it have said it's quiet with little vibration if at all. It's 50# at 27" and came with Dyna 97. I draw to 28" and use 8125 in a 12 strand. My crono readings are 176 fps.

I'm probably in the minority...I like it when it is new and yellow. I don't care for the generic brown it turns as it ages. Especially so when using it as an accent color with darker woods...as the Osage ages you lose the contrast that was originally there.

You mean they actually build bows out of anything, but Osage, unheard of!    
I love my self bows, all out of osage.  I shoot heavy, heavy set-up.  No hand shock, vibration, or any other nusiances.  
JAG/Johnny

I'm kinda found of it as well    

Here are a few more: