Osage Orange Long Bow

[Shoulder Strap]

does anyone out there know how to make a " primitive bow" you know an old long bow? I was told a cured, straight grained osage orange piece of wood was the best. I was also told to laminate it with deer sinnu. Dont know if I spelled it correct but it is the striffen that you normally cut off your deer meat. Any tricks would be appreciated. Also what natural product would make a good string?

ORIGINAL: Shoulder Strap

does anyone out there know how to make a " primitive bow" you know an old long bow? I was told a cured, straight grained osage orange piece of wood was the best. I was also told to laminate it with deer sinnu. Dont know if I spelled it correct but it is the striffen that you normally cut off your deer meat. Any tricks would be appreciated. Also what natural product would make a good string?

I shown my recent one titled "almost done". Osage is my favorite but a tough wood to make a good bow out of it. You have to take it down to a single growth ring. And you cannot violate it or cut thru pin knots. There's a few tricks to it. I suggest you read Traditional Bowyers Bible vol 1 at least. I also read Jim hamm's "bow and arrows of American indians". Paul Comstocks book, "bent stick" is good, and I also reading Dean Torges "hunting the osage bow". I am on my 6th bow and still haven't made a great one, and have broken two. Breaking bows just goes with the territory. If you have it in your mind to make a fast reliable osage bow from the first one, you might be setting yourself up to get disappointed.


Also sinewing has its disadvantages and advantages. Good news is, it makes a bow almost unbreakable. You can make lots of newbie mistakes. Bad news is, it takesa bout 10 hours labor beating pounding, and shredding, and sorting sinew and nother 2 hours or more to put it on. Bad thing about it, is in soggy humid days, it will turn your bow into a wet noodle. Cast will suck. But in the middle of winter when humidity is down to like 30%, your sinewed bow will become a rocket launcher. I have sinewed one, and can't say I am ready to do it again.

I do like backing a bow with rawhide, and linen. And I think from now on, I will back it with one or the other.

[JOE PA]

As Big Country said, the Traditional Bowyers Bible is a great book to read. I really like Tim Baker's section on all the different types of bows you can make. Osage is great wood, but requires lots of skill to complete. Personally, I'd start with something like Hickory, which is pretty hard to break. If you get/keep it dry enough, you can make a very nice bow, and hickory is very strong in tension, so it resists breaking very well. I have made about 12 bows, and none is what I hoped it would be. When I retire, I will try to make some much better ones. You can learn the art of tillering with easier to work woods, with the outside of the log having a good back already established. Then move on to osage. Or not.