Osage Bow for Father-In-Law

[4est trekker]

Last Christmas I made a bow for each of my brother-in-laws.  I had no idea I would create three traditional archery monsters.  They LOVE to shoot, and we do so at every family gathering.  However, my biggest surprise came when my father-in-law took a fancy to shooting.  I made him a lightweight oak bow just to get him started.  He even set up a target and keeps the grass mown nice and short for every family get-together! Long story short, he's hinted a couple of times that he's in need of a heavier bow (mostly to perpetuate his comedic feud with a local woodchuck who has taken up residence in the far corner of his land!).  

So, I had a little sliver of osage that I literally thought I couldn't get a bow out of but couldn't bear to throw out.  It had about 1" of deflex, was only 64" long, was crooked as a dog's hind leg, and didn't have enough wood in it to build a flatbow.  I don't particularly fancy D-bellied bows, but it was all I could do with this stave.  I heated the snot out of it to get it aligned, but didn't take any deflex out of it.  It finished out at 43# @ 26", has bison horn tip overlays, a floppy rest, satin lacquer finish, and a nice feel in the hand.  The string follow gives it a nice smooth early draw, and you can just feel it give in the handle at full draw.  I was impressed how quickly it shoots...it's obviously not a speed demon, but those small limbs sure do recover quickly.  I added three arrows to keep the woodchuck dancing this fall!  Didn't have time for many pictures, but here's a few:




He's quite the crack-shot.  Here's the first arrow of his second round at 18 yards:

   

[vanillabear?]

[hova]

you just let me know if your family needs another member. A+ as always.


-hov

[bjansen]

Outstanding work 4est!  What do you use to write on the bows again?

[4est trekker]

Brad: I use a metal-nibbed pen and white India ink.  I always struggled to get it to work until I figured out (duh!) that you really have to mix the ink up before using it.  By the way...what do you use?  I like how clean your writing comes out.

[bjansen]

I used an India Ink fine tipped pen on that bow you have...I believe it came from Michaels craft store...That works quite well,but I have not yet seen a white one.  I'll have to give your method a shot.

[KellyG]

4est,
Again you set a standard in bow making that I must strive to meet. If only get half way I will still be a darn good bowyer.
Kelly

[red hill]

Beautiful work, 4est.
Stan

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Your work with Osage is impressive to say the least. How did you get those light brown faded areas through the surface of the limb?
You surely added that yourself, and the stave wasn't already like that?
Please share your secret with me.....you don't have to tell the other guys if you don't want to.    
I'd like to do something with that effect on the Osage longbow that I'm making for my 8yr. old nephew Tucker for Christmas. That's a cool look that I don't believe I've seen before?

Thanks,
Chris

[DVSHUNTER]

nice looking bow. I like your style of tips. I've got to get some horn!

[kerryb]

great looking bow, very nice work.

[4est trekker]

Thanks, fellas.  Semo:  Those dark areas are the result of a bucket load of heating the stave to get it aligned.  

[Roy from Pa]

Very nice, congrats.

[Ricky Wallace]

I wish you would teach my son-in-law how to build bows!!!   Thats very nice

[Pat B]

Very nicebow with a simple design, 4est.   This is a great way to stay on the good side of the inlaws!!! d;^)

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Originally posted by 4est trekker:
Thanks, fellas.  Semo:  Those dark areas are the result of a bucket load of heating the stave to get it aligned.    

Well they look real nice, I like em!

[fish n chicks]

Jees man, do you have some kind of osage farm behind your house?

Another great example 4est. Thanks for sharing brother.