Should I make the limbs on a (hopefully) 70" 55# osage longbow, at least thats the target. I am needing help on the proper dimensions to rough it out to. Any help is appreciated

First question is why 70" long? Is it for a 30" plus draw?

I have a 29 inch draw. Figured I would shoot for 70 and that would give me an inch or 2 leeway on the nocks.

With it being 70" lo tong I'd try to get the tips as narrow as possible...Like 1/4".  If red oak can handle it with ease osage should take it no problem.

Stiff or bending handle?  The last 70" osage bow I made was a working handled ELB, at 1-1/8" wide, that draws 88# @ 30".  Turned out solid.  I've put alot of arrows through that one from "war bow" draw and my "normal" draw.


The next closest/recent was a 68" stiff handled radiused bellied "flatbow" that drew mig-high 50s at 29".  I made that one 1-3/8" or 1-1/2" wide for a friend, wanting it a touch overbuilt since he has a fast snapdraw and normally shoots glass bows.  That one held some decent reflex.


...just to get you in the ballpark.

I was thinking a ridgid handle. I figure that would be easier for a first build. But am not set in stone on that. So 1 1/8- 1 1/2 depending on style of handle?

Btw thats  good looking bows

Actually, working handled bows are easier to build, IMO, especially "long" bows.   But by all means, build whichever you like.  Best of luck!    

I built a 70" osage bow with 10" of stiff handle awhile back. Its 1 1/8" wide out to midlimb and then tapers to 1/2" nocks. I made it that long partly because it has a lot of wormholes in it that I was kinda worried about. I like longer bows anyways though.

Hey thanks Jamey, thats kind of what I was wanting right there. This stave has several small knots that are not to much trouble, I think I am working them correctly, but it also has a 3 inch check, I think is the proper term, where the ring seems to dip back into the stave, and the surrounding wood seems much denser. I am trying to decide now if I will be able to bypass it or not.