I posted this on another site but thought it might be of intrest to some here.

I have a bunch of less than stellar osage, great rings but firewood to most people. I tried to sell four billets of this osage for $35 and had no takers, thought about giving it away but ended up stacking it up in the corner of my shop for 5 years.

I developed a lot more bow making skills over the years and decided to chase a grain on one of the billets just to see what was under the bark. Eureka! Snakey wood! I chased a grain on two of the billets and got out my heat gun.

Here is what I started out with, dogleg and lots of propeller.



After two weeks of heating and straightening I finally got a center line lined up.



The finished result, never give up.

Eric, your skills amaze me. Talk about making a silk purse!! The reflex BBO you made up for me I think five years ago still Is not showing any string follow. That bow is aging better then I am! LOL

Nice job Eric, I have a similar stave I have been working on. We shall see if mine turns out as nice as yours.

Nice bow Eric, great rings and clean wood can make up for a lot of other "defects".

Getting a little string follow myself Dano.

Wow, I really need to try a Osage stave... When I get some money I will. Eric great job so far... I can't wait to see the finished bow.

oh thats purty!!!  

Eric.  I like it. David

Last coat of finish drying.

 

lettering



Handle leather on.



Osage burl overlay.



And finally, full draw. My wife was a little behind me and the picture got a little of the snake. This made some of the tiller look a little off.

Very nice!  

They don't get any better than that, a little time and a lot of patience is all staves like that need. That's what about all of my bows come from because no one else would want them GREAT JOB!

Mike

Theres and old saying.If it's a peice of wood theres a bow in it./That is if you the time and desire to get a bow out of it.

Awesome bow, Eric. That's a great story. Jawge

Eric, That's another good looking bow.  Ya done good, real good, once again!

Eric, that is a great looking bow. I am still working on the stave with all the cracks and trying to find the bow in it. I may need to reduce it one more ring and back it with some wood or bamboo. not sure yet, just taking my time.

Eric, that's a good lookin bow.
I've been aching to get another stave to work on, but money is tight these days.  If only you were a few states closer, I'd buy one from you for $35.  I was just thinking the other day that we haven't been seeing any osage build alongs lately.  That ache to scrape just won't go away!

In every peice of wood there's a bow weighting for the right person to let it out.