snakey osage staves

[Stiks-n-Strings]

This might be a silly question but here go's

what part of the tree are you most likely to find snakey staves? The trunk or in the limbs?

Reason I ask is it seems like I remember hearing that alot of snaky staves come from limbs. Maybe I dreamed it or maybe I'm just having a dumb@#$ attack.

Any way, What say ye?

[John Scifres]

The best staves come from a butt log, whether snaky or not.  Good staves can come from limbs but they can also be very tricky do to weird reactions.  Personally, I pass on most limbs unless they are exceptional.

[Dean Marlow]

The best way to find snakey staves is to look at the bark on the tree. If the bark looks snakey the staves will be snakey. Dean

[PEARL DRUMS]

I just build a nasty, snakey  sister billet bow for my buddy. It was literally from the stump. The stump flare out at the bottom gave me my flipped tips. This isnt to say thats the best place to find one, it just was that day. I agree with Dean, look at the bark and find a snake wherever the bark shows one! I havent found osage bark to lie very often.

[Buemaker]

Dean Marlow, may I ask if you are the same Dean Marlow who did bowtesting for one of the bowhunting magazines a few years back. All the best. Bue--.

[Dean Marlow]

Bue, no that wasn't me. Dean

[Stiks-n-Strings]

I agree John and that's what I practice as well. I don't think I have ever split a stave out of a limb. I always look at the bark to try and determine how much twist or what ever I'll end up with.

I'm just looking for that elusive once in a lifetime tree to cut I reckon. I do know where there are some limbs that are 12" across and I figured the tops would make good bows due the grown in reaction wood on the top portion but haven't cut any yet.

I was just curios and figured I would entertain this thought and see if the general idea was what it is. Guess I'll keep cutting trees the same and just watch for that super snaky butt log I'm after.

[scrub-buster]

Look for some second growth off of an old stump.  I have some nice snakey second growth that I am letting grow for a few more seasons.  I am going to wait until they are at least 6" before I cut them.  Not saying its the best, but that's what I have found so far.

[wildcat hunter]

I had an Osage stave that was very deep - I got 2 bows from it, The 1st one is 2" wide and the other is 1 1/8" wide. The outside bow ( on top )is fairly straight but the bow from "underneath " is snakey. It also is darker and has streaks in the wood. Very unusual looking.

[George Tsoukalas]

Ah that tree! Once you find it and make all the bows you can from it, you'll more than likely need another tree. Then another tree after that one. Have fun.    Jawge

[Keenan]

Why Kris thats a silly question! Everyone knows that snakey staves grow in snake dens  

[Stiks-n-Strings]

I Hear ya George.

Keenan you know me I can't just good be satisfied with a good piece. I gotta find something nobody else wants and commence to makin firewood out of most of it until I find the elustrious character that is so attractive.

[John Scifres]

I know where an awesome snaky tree is growing in New Castle at what Darren and I call the "Osage Mecca".  We cut there about 10 years ago with Mickey Lotz and Bro Randy and the tree was just a bit too small then.  Might be time to try again  

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Just give me a holler John and I'll sharpen up the saw    :D

[Osagetree]

John what has happened to our buddy "The Ferret"?
I never hear from him anymore........
 

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I don't think anybody has mentioned it yet or not, but it's been my experience that the trees that have quite a few knots up and down the trunk will yield the snakiest staves. It's a real trick to split one and even trickier to work a stave, but you all have seen the results of such a challenging stave they do make some awesome looking bows for sure. I've worked a few with fair results, but I didn't attempt any of the really super snakey ones. My patience level isn't what it used to be so I sold those super snakey ones to other members.

Basically don't pass up on those hedge trees that have lots of knots if you want some snakey staves. Scout around and do some trunk staring trying to imagine how your bow would snake back and forth around those knots until you find "The One" that really trips your trigger.

[John Scifres]

Hey Joe,

Mickey's got a couple articles in the latest Primitive Archer.  He was at Cloverdale for a while last year.  He's been riding his motorcycle a lot.  Spent a bunch of time on a European Tour a while back.  He looked the same.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

I do enjoy Mickey's articles in PA

[Osagetree]

Thanks John but I dont subscribe any longer to PA. He's a good guy and apperently a world traveler too! Mr. Lotz was my inspiration and a very helpful on-line mentor. It was an honor to have him come to my home when I was once down and out. One of those guy's you just never forget.
Thanks again John and Mickey!!!!

[Pat B]

Mickey has promised me for the last 4 or 5 years that he would come to the Tenn. Classic IF the weather permitted him to ride his bike. Unfortunately for all it has rained every year since the Classic began(14 years now).
 I have never met Mickey in person but hope to some day. We have conversed on line and by email for years. I've enjoyed his writings in PA and elsewhere. I use his floppy rest on all my bows now and his floppy bowyers rule for making bows. Mickey even mentioned a bow I gave him in one of his PA articles a year or so ago.