What do you guys know about Osage. I have seen some really nice looking bows with this wood in it. I'm understanding that it darkens in time, how dark does it get??
It darkens from sunlight. Gets sort of a honey color. Very nice though. It is super bright yellow though when first cut or shaved. A lot of woods do (change color from sunlight) this but maybe not to the extent that osage does.
Thanks Bob, I am starting to like the looks of Osage, I'm liking the yellow of it mixed with dirty boo. I don't know if I'll like it when it turns. Any idea how long it takes it to change, are we talking years here or....? Thanks.
If you keep out out of the sun (basement) when you store it, it helps. It'll start turning if you leave it out within a few months. I had a HH Croc with osage limbs at one time that was completely turned and to tell you the truth, it was stunning. If you are getting it as an accent though (maybe pinstripe)in a riser and expect it to stay bright yellow, you may want to rethink it. I have Purple Heart Riser in one of my bows with twin osage stripes. I think if I did it over, I would have gotten glass. On the other hand, once you shoot the bow and like it, looks really become unimportant real fast anyway. :-)
Cocobolo is another wood that darkens, I have Cocobolo limbs that when I first made them had a lot of color in them now they are real dark with most of the color gone
I've seen a wide range in the color of yew as well. The yew in my recurve limbs is a light orange yet stuff I used for my boat rails is a deep wine red color. The riser on this recurve is cocobolo and hasn't darkened any in the 10 years I've had it. Maybe it's just the piece you got Russ. Here's the yew railings:
I love osage. We call it Bodarc down here in Texas. The best native North American bow wood. It is also the densist North American bow wood. The last 6 bows I made have either been made out of osage or had it in it some where. I always seal my bows with a finish that has a UV protector in it. That way the osage stays bright and yellow. I just finished spraying the final coat of finish on a bamboo, Ipe, osage, Ipe bow I just finished. Ill post some pics once it gets dry enough.
Hurry up with the pictures! You gonna make it down for the night shoot this weekend? Or beer drinking whichever it becomes...you could bring one of your hand mades down to give a show and tell to the 4-H kids in the morning shoot!
Hell, ive been working on this dang bow for about three months. Too much crap going on and very little time to get into the shop. I'll be giving you a call here soon. Im trying my damndest to get that way. As of right now, I plan on it. There is an outside chance that I might be meeting with insurance adjusters this weekend. I hope not. I got hail damage on a roof I finished putting on two hours before the storm that screwed it up. Talk about dumb luck.
