Snakey grained wood

[osage outlaw]

I know this isn't milling related but I thought you guys might like to see this snakey grained osage tree that I cut.  It looked like a normal tree when I cut it.  It has been dead and fallen over for several years.  Osage is very rot resistant.  A dead tree can lay on the ground for decades and still be solid.




I knew something was up when it was this hard to get a split started in the end.




It didn't take me long to figure out why.  The grain snakes back and forth.  




This type of wood is very rare and highly valued in the bow building community.  It is much harder to split than straight grained wood.  The finished bow will follow the grain lines and be snakey shaped.  










And an added bonus.  The wood has red streaks all through it.  It will look beautiful when it's finished.  

[nativewolf]

Always enjoy your osage discussions

[osage outlaw]

That's about the only thing I cut.  

[dbroswoods]

That is some pretty Osage the red streaks are real cool. It also looks like it is the drarker orange color.
It seems like the wavy grain would make a challenge in making a bow.

Mark

[osage outlaw]

It is a bigger challenge but also a very unique bow if it survives.  

[WDH]

Wish that I could get some like that to saw.

[ToddsPoint]

Our osage is straight grained if it grew in the bottoms and has a spiral grain if it grew on the prairie.  I've never seen a snake type before but now I'm going to look harder.  Gary

[osage outlaw]

Our osage is straight grained if it grew in the bottoms and has a spiral grain if it grew on the prairie.  I've never seen a snake type before but now I'm going to look harder.  Gary

A lot of times you can see the pattern in the bark.   I cut an osage tree several years ago that had a tight curly grain.  It is some of the most beautiful wood I've ever seen.  It's like curly maple but very tight stripes and has that yellow color.  It was terrible bow wood but it looks great as knife and hatchet handles.  

[69bronco]

Make sure and show some of the finished product!

[LeeB]

X2 

[Southside]

Will the bow shoot around corners? 

[osage outlaw]

Will the bow shoot around corners?

No.  It will shoot just like a normal bow as long as the string lines up with the handle.  

[Slingshot]

Will the bow shoot around corners?

You need snakey arrows to do that!

[osage outlaw]

Here is some of that curly grained osage

[WDH]

That is awesome!