Osage Orange uses :walking stick

dipbait

dipbait

Joined
Feb 9, 2008
Messages
5,421
Theres a lot of osage Orange "Hedge, Ironwood" that grows around here ,NE Missouri. The wood is extremely hard . Its favored for bow making. I just made a walking stick. A large heavy brute that could knock out a Buffalo. The wood is hard to work with, so instead of making my club slimmer i'll just make another .One that is better suited for hiking. If I find the right limb I'll fashion a cane.

Anybody know of any other uses for it?
 
Handles for hatchets and hammers.
Knife handles.
Cooking utensils......

To name a few.

For the most part, If it can be done with wood,
it can be done better with Hedge.
 
i love osage... it has a lot of uses...

bows
knife and hatchet handles
beads
bowls
wooden cups or mugs
utensils
buttons
war clubs
 
any interest in shipping a 3 walking sized pieces to NC? I would like to make my wife, son and myself a set?

Just wondering if you say no then itis not a problem.

Thanks
 
The only osage I have other than the stuff on my knives is a bunch of seedlings I bought and have growing.

Try ebay. There's usually a lot on there.
 
Briggz said:
any interest in shipping a 3 walking sized pieces to NC? I would like to make my wife, son and myself a set?

Just wondering if you say no then itis not a problem.

Thanks
Click to expand...

How about one walking stick-sized piece to New York?
 
I've had an osage walking stick for almost 20 years; don't know about knocking out a buffalo but it might turn a rhino charge. A tip: cap or ring the bottom end, they tend to check a bit as they dry.

Other uses: Understand that I'm not admitting nothin' here, OK? If you throw 'hawks and ever indulge in a game of "handles," a handle made from osage seasoned to about 5% moisture content then soaked in pure tung oil for a couple years then allowed to dry will be hard enough to deflect almost any cutting edge . . .

If you carve it while it is still wet, it can be used to make a pretty fair dough tray. Dry it (or any other green carvings) carefully though, as it will tend to check.

I like to turn powder horn spout plugs from seasoned osage as there is little further expansion, and it is slow to take on moisture. This side-steps the occasional problem of a spout plug that has taken on moisture and swollen in place.
 
I love osage orange and have built countless flat bows, tool and knife handles, etc., from the wood. Here in Oregon, we have very, very little osage, so I often trade our quality yew wood for the osage in the midwest or Texas.

Three of my favorite osage bows that have taken elk, moose, deer, game birds. The wider bow (Modoc Indian) is hickory.
mybows1fb2.jpg
 
coffeecup said:
Understand that I'm not admitting nothin' here, OK? If you throw 'hawks and ever indulge in a game of "handles," a handle made from osage seasoned to about 5% moisture content then soaked in pure tung oil for a couple years then allowed to dry will be hard enough to deflect almost any cutting edge . . .
Click to expand...

Hey! You can't just throw something like this out there without elaborating just a bit. Come on! Fess up! :)
 
Dannyboy Leather said:
I love osage orange and have built countless flat bows, tool and knife handles, etc., from the wood. Here in Oregon, we have very, very little osage, so I often trade our quality yew wood for the osage in the midwest or Texas.

Three of my favorite osage bows that have taken elk, moose, deer, game birds. The wider bow (Modoc Indian) is hickory.
mybows1fb2.jpg
Click to expand...

great looking bows dannyboy...:thumbup: osage and yew are 2 of my favorite bow woods as well...:D

are you interested in checking out the western states randezvous... it'll be in petaluma CA. this year.... memorial day weekend.... drop me a line if you're intersted, we can meet up...

mike
 
Dannyboy. Those are handsome bows. What diameter tree or limb are they made from?

Have you ever tried a bow from Honey Locust? Thats a sturdy wood and seems to grow straighter.
 
I am pretty new to this bushcraft thing, and live in Missouri, any chance someone could post a pic of the tree so I can lookout for one to get some wood?
 
Here is the wiki page.

Heres the tree.
osageorange1a.jpg


And these things grow in there.
osage2b.gif


I didnt know what this tree looked like either, but after looking at these pics I think I have seen a few of these around here.
 
IN ohio they are just called hedge apple....they grow in fence rows......A real nusance around here......My kids love a knife with hedge apple handles......But it is hard to find straight limbs.....The limbs tend to curve a lot....It is great cord wood.....I burn 2 cord of hedge ber year.................carl
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top