James Easter has made Osage Bows for over 12 years and spends considerable time and work to produce the Osage Stave.James does his best to provide the right Osage Stave for you.He works each Stave by hand and with the knowledge only a Bowyer has from his experience to produce the best you will find anywhere.He uses NO POWER TOOLS...
Please call him at 319 835 5892/319 835 0916 anytime to talk about Osage Orange Staves.
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BEGINNER BOWYER'S PACKAGE
A few Bow Staves of other types of wood are now in stock.We have Hackberry (nice wood for the beginner,and this is clean straight stuff,nice!!)and Black Locust (a favorite on the East Coast by Native Americans in earlier centuries).Please ask us about a First Time Bowyer's starter package.
This is one of the woods listed plus an ANTIQUE Draw Knife (I think they may sharpen easier and besides they have some history,I have cleaned them up and sharpened them no doubt they wil last another lifetime of use),and Al Herrin's Soft Cover book "Cherokee Bows and Arrows","Signed by Al" all for one price.
Please see our NON PACKAGE DRAW KNIVES we have for sale on www.osagewalkingstick.com . There are two pages of Excellent Knives there to choose from.I will also have New Sheffield Draw Knives shown on www.drawknives.com .
REMEMBER "PATIENCE" IS KEY NO MATTER WHAT WOOD YOU USE TO MAKE YOUR BOW.READ ALL YOU CAN BEFORE YOU START YOUR PROJECT.
Call us anytime at 319 835 5892 Office.
319 835 0916 Shop.
We accept MasterCard/Visa.
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...WARNING!...WARNING!...WARNING!...WARNING!...
The Osage is a wood that tests the patience of your character.It is the King of bow woods and it knows it.If you have made Bows before but not from Osage Orange this will be a new experience...THIS WOOD CAN TEST YOUR SKILLS AND THE SKILLS YOU THINK YOU HAVE!...There is no guarantee that you will be successful on your first try with the Osage Orange.Many have had more than one attempt to get the Osage Bow built to their liking.It is a very hard wood and can also be hard to work.
Osage Orange loves to grow twisted,crooked,and full of limbs.Finding good quality Bow Staves is very diffucult.Getting a straight Stave,excellent growth ring pattern and few limb knots is very time consuming and even then getting all three wood issues at the same time is rare.All of our Osage Staves are carefully selected as best we can to help provide you good wood.We try to match the Osage Stave to you by asking many questions about your Bowmaking experience.We want you to have a pleasant Bowmaking experience.
Remember, James works the wood with no POWER TOOLS.We do not short cut in preparing our Staves.
Please Note:
Every possible precaution is taken to insure your getting good wood,but there is no such thing as a perfect Stave.James tries very hard to ship the best Osage he can.Your stick may have imperfections.The price you pay determines as to the quality of the Stave.Absolutely no Stave is sent out from which a good bow can not be made,but as the maker is largely responsible for the finished bow,results are not guaranteed.
It must also be understood that while a piece of wood may look perfectly sound on the outside imperfections
may appear when worked down,for which we cannot hold ourselves responsible.We,therefore,accept orders only on condition that you assume all risk on Staves.
Never work on your Stave unless you are in the spirit or mood to make your Bow.Never rush your work;leave it and come back another day to finish up.
If you are inexperienced in Bowmaking please read all you can before you attempt the Osage.I cannot mention enough times that Osage is not for the beginner."Cherokee Bows and Arrows" is one of the best books ever written on the Osage.Please consider buying and reading it.Guess what! I sell that book by calling 319 835 5892.$23 plus shipping USA.All of my copies are signed by Al Herrin the author.
Even if you are an experienced Bowyer but have never used Osage please beware.I know many of you in Europe are great Bowyers but some are not fimiliar with Osage.It is not like Yew nor is it like Hickory please take heed of this when considering to use Osage.Learning more about this wood before you work it will make me the supplier much happier to sell it to you and you will be more understanding of Osage Orange's traits.
Osage Orange may never be popular in stringent regulatory Bowmaking that requires the wood to meet certain criteria.Please keep in mind Osage very rarely grows perfectly straight (I can say that a straight piece of Osage is probably 1 in 700 or more).If you are looking for Osage to make a Bow to meet English Archery Club standards that were set for Yew,Hickory,and other woods centuries ago then you may hunt a long time for that piece of Osage and also it will come with a price.If you are after the best Bow Wood in the world that may be a maverick at times to tradition then Osage is the wood.
But once you master it and become one with the wood you have then reached one of the highest levels of bow making.
You may call James Easter at 319 835 5892 or e mail him at osagebow@iowatelecom.net to discuss your Osage Orange Stave.
I would like to thank all of you who have purchased Staves from us and hope we have met your Bowmaking needs and we look forward to serving you in the future.Thank you.
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SOME QUESTIONS YOU MAY WANT TO ASK YOUR SUPPLIER BEFORE YOU BUY YOUR OSAGE ORANGE STAVE ARE:
a-Has the sapwood and bark been removed?
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All of our Osage Staves have both removed, making your work easier.
b-Does a Bowyer pick,work,and grade the Osage Staves you offer?
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James Easter has built the Osage Bow for over 11 years and personally works up each Osage Stave we offer for sale.He also grades each stave with careful consideration of Growth Ring thickness,Limb Knots,and Straightness.
c-When do you cut your Osage Orange Stave wood?
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We cut most of our Osage Orange Wood at the correct time of year and we pick each potential Stave with great care.Besides experience there are many "old time practices" that give you the best wood from the timber.We use those and are always learnig better ways to harvest the Osage Orange.
d-What size and weight are your Osage Staves?
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We offer all lengths from 50 inches to 80 inches and all of our Osage Staves are very generous in the amount of wood we provide.
e-Do you ship to Europe?
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We will ship anywhere customs allows the Osage Orange to enter.We have a good market in Europe.
f-How do you ship your Osage Stave?
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All of our Osage Staves are shipped in a corrugated container to protect the back of the Stave from damage.
g-Is Osage Orange an easy wood to build my first bow from?
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The answer is NO and even if you have used Whitewood before Osage is still a challenge.
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Our Osage Orange Staves and Bows are sold only at www.osageorange.com Please call us anytime at 319 835 5892 or email us.We sell the wood that gives you an opportunity for a real EXPERIENCE in Bowmaking.
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E MAIL FROM CUSTOMERS.
The following E Mails are what our Osage Stave Customers have to say about the quality staves from www.osageorange.com and handworked by James Easter Bowyer.Please Email us with any questions you may have.Customer satisfaction is our number one goal.
osagebow@iowatelecom.net 319 835 5892
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Cherokee Bows and Arrows by Al Herrin was great reading - right up there with the Bowyers Bible Books. I wish all Native Americans were as willing as Al Herrin to pass on "the old ways" to all of us. In addition to the two great bow staves I recently purchased from you, I bought one from you last year that I have been patiently aging. After months and months of working on old, crooked, cracked, knotted, and gnarly Osage fence post staves, I began work on the stave I bought from you last year. What a difference! Its as if the bow I made was screaming to be let out and put to use immediately. From Friday night until Sunday night, I worked feverishly to produce a 68" "Plains Self Bow", 60 lbs. @ 28"draw - Beautiful. I am ready to take it out and test its seemingly inherent desire to begin a new life as a stealthy and deadly weapon. Maybe it is just me, but it seems that your staves "exude" spiritual sacredness born out of being well prepared and cared for as it was being turned into a Bow Stave. I'll keep you posted and thanks for the great Osage bow staves!Feel free to quote me on your web site! Thanks.
Mark A. Shriver
12-10-01
Texas
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Hi James,
I have just recieved the Osage Orange stave from you today. What a nice straight stave. I am looking forward working on it. Won´t start until I have read the book you recomend Cherokee bows and arrows by Al Herrin.
Next time I come to USA I will come and vistit you and buy a stave or two to take with me home.
By the way I hope other bowyers in Denmark will contact you in the near future since I wrote about your staves of Osage Orange in a danish debat web page like the one you have on Primitive Archer.
Sincerely
Martin
Denmark
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The stave you sent me this summer really is an extraordinary piece, not cheap, but the quality makes up for it. I never replied to your last email, so I wanted to express my appreciation in this way. Having built some walnut and locust longbows as practice, I will soon start on that osage stave; it will become my favorite for sure. Thanks again, Hannes from Germany.
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HI ' MIKE I HAVE RECEIVED THE STAVE JUST TODAY, YOU WORK VERY FAST. THE STAVE
IS WONDERFUL IT WILL MAKE AN EXCELLENT BOW. I, AM, LOOKING FOR STAVES OF ASH,
AND ELM, CAN YOU HELP .
P.S. I, AM, FORWARD TO RECEIVING THE STAVE THAT YOU HAVE ON RESERVE FOR ME
THANK YOU
CHRIS
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Mr. Easter,
Most certainly you can quote me. I think that the only reason that people dont understand how much work goes into a quality stave is because they never tried to knock of the bark and sapwood.I went to work on the back of that
stave yesterday after work and it was a breeze.Now a true craftsman should make 30.00 per hour and i am sure if the total time that your son put into that stave to get it to the condition it is in is worth at least a couple of hours. so the stave is really less expensive than your competitors, in that respect. The shipping is less because of it and my overall cleanup is a lot less, it is just a good clean product. I really appreciate that because of the yard full of dogs that i have, kids, and work I dont have a whole lot of
time. So that is where my appreciation comes from. So quote me if you wish,
and keep up the good work.
Aaron Bruce
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Mike,
Sorry I could'nt get back to you sooner but I just wanted to thank you for the nice stave. It was worth the money. Hope to do business with you again.
Thanks,
Scott Feltch
==============================================================Howdy James! I was just wondering how much you get shipping and all for a stave that is approx. 70" long? I will be turning it into a flatbow that is 68" between the nocks. I bought a stave from somewhere online last summer and just this weekend got around to messing with it. To make a long story short I had to take it down about 7 rings to get to a good one . I roughed out the bow and was getting close to where it needed to be and that is where the crack showed up. Needless to say this will end up being a bow for one of my children as it will NEVER make more than a 30# bow. It had a sever radial crack at the first ring. the only way to turn this stave into a bow is to make it narrower and shorter.(There was another crack going from the belly to the back down near the tip) I should have known better than to buy wood from a NON- bowyer. Everybody thinks they know how to select trees and split them out and make good staves, the truth is they don't. Your site is quite extensive and it looks like you've got it going on. I am curious as to why you debark and remove the sapwood though? Oh well I'd appreciate a quote if you have the time! Tom (aka. raging toxophiliac)
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Hi James----------Just a note to let you know that that repair on my bow is still holding up . The more I shoot it, the smoother it gets------------- What a nice bow ! ------- hope that you're doing good & that business is good.
Hi James---I'm not ready to order anything special as of right now but I'll let you know. Glad to hear that business is good of
course , you're welcome to use my testimonial. You build real nice bows. Good luck , Gerry
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Thank you for your reply to all of my inquiries. I spent about am hour at
your site the other night reading everything I could, and I do have to admit
that it is a rare occassion that one sees an osage stave as straight as the
ones pictured.
Jason
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Thanks Jamie. You make a good looking bow. Nice workmanship. I'm still
a beginner at making selfbows. Made two flat bows from yew and a couple from
Lemonwood. I have a few more roughed out in various phases of completion. I'm
anxious to get started on the osage but my right arm still isn't strong
enough after my surgery. I'll let you know how it goes and will probably be
talking with you about another stave or two. Take care, Terry
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Aloha Mike,
Got the stave! Already started working it. Really nice stave. Very clean with
the exception of two small knots. Don't think either of them will be a factor.
It does have a considerable twist, but I think I can straighten it with heat.
The stave was just as you represented it to be. I am happy with it and I look
forward to getting the A+ stave in November. You can certainly use me as a
referral if you ever want give out my email as a "satisfied customer".
Thanks for your customer service.
Aoha,
Warren
magic@WARRENandANNABELLES.com
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Hi Mike & James!
Long time ago we bought two staves from you ...
Your two staves had reached us in best condidtion. Norbert has made two fine bows. According to our previous conversation I send you 3 pictures from one of the bows as well as from Norbert in action.
Finally we want to thank you and wish you all the best.
Norbert and Hugo from Austria.
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Hi James,
Thanks for the Osage! My visit to your shop was well worth the trip. Your personal attention was appreciated and the pointers on how to work with the character of Hedge made me much less intimidated when I began to cut on the yellow wood. For a first time woodbutcher I did a good job thanks to your wood and your know-how. I now have an osage warbow with all the pull needed to launch some big arrows with all the beauty of Osage.
Thanks, Paul White -
Illinois 3/03/02
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I highly recommend James Easter and his bows and staves. I personally got to visit with James and his family.
Not only is he extremely friendly, he has some of the finest products in primitive archery. I have used several of
his staves and can honestly say they are some of the finest quality premium Osage staves I have seen. The truth is, you
really do get what you pay for. James not only selects and cuts his own staves, he debarks them, removes the sapwood, and then coats them with a varnish that prevents drying cracks. He has the largest and finest selection of Osage staves I know of.
You will not be disappointed in doing business with him!
Sincerely,
Rick Yonker
Primitive Bowyer - Kickapoo Valley Longbows
www.kickapoobows.com
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Not sure if you like to see what comes of your staves, especially in the hands of first-timers like me, but I'd like to send you a few pictures of the bow I built from the stave you sent me.
I am very pleased.
Thanks,
Pete Vordenberg
First Bow
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11/02....
James
I just receive the billets. I am very happy with them. I like the matching
snake ends and the set back. I am going to let them sit in my shop until
after Thanksgiving, and then I will start on the bow. The billets, with a
little luck, should make a beautiful bow.
Thanks again,
John McWilliams
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11/02
Mike:
I received my stave today in the mail. Very nice, I can quickly understand why there is so much talk about this species of wood. Beautiful, I did notice that the grain is a lot like ironwood, But osage orange has the beautiful color.
I can see one good looking superior bow in this stave.
Many thanks.
Brian Welshman
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James,
I bought an osage stave from you about 3 months ago. I now have a fairly nice sinew-backed bow that pulls about #42. This is my first bow ever. The stave was beautiful and I'll call if I ever need another.
Thanks,
Scott Laidlaw
North Carolina
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Sent: Friday, March 21, 2003 10:16 AM
Subject: homemade bow
I want to thank you for getting me started in bow making. I purchased a starter kit from you that included a draw knife, a black locust bow stave which was perfect and a book. Through patience and fun work I build my first
bow. A nice indian flat bow 68 inches long, 44# @ 28". I am already purchasing an osage orange stave from you to start on my second bow.Thanks again.
Rene Eldidy.
Minnesota
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The osage stave you sent got here on Tuesday. I am very happy with the stave, it's a beutifull piece of osage. I can't wait to start working on it in a few weeks. The grain is straighter than most of the osage that I have
seen in New Zealand. I enjoyed the book Cherokee Bows and Arrows, it has me wanting to try making a raw hide bow string.
Thanks alot
Dean Martin
New Zealand
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Hi Jamie,
I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you after receiving my replacement strings.The strings are grea and the color of them and the serving thread are perfect.As you can see from the pictures I had already chosen
a dark green leather to bind the handle and doesn't it look sharp.I am so thrilled with my completed work of art.
I have shot it about thirty times and it works great,or should I say Think it works well as this is my first bow and
I have nothing to compare it with.There is very little hand shock so I think the tiller is pretty accurate.The final
draw weight is 35 lb @ 28'',a little lighter than I had aimed for but all the same a very pleasing first attempt,also
it's easier to brace,and for target shooting its great.I have a couple of questions,I have read a lot about string
follow in bows,if one is going to developed this does it happen quickly or over a long period.Mine show no sign
as yet and still have a nice back set to them.One more question,when the strings are new do they stretch a lot
because at the moment I have to keep twisting it to keep the correct fistmele.
Once again I can't thank you enough for selecting a more perfect piece of wood for my first bow and it has made
me an instant lover of Osage Orange,I shall definitely be ordering from you again.I am moving to the states in May
and will be living in Virginia so maybe I could come and visit your workshop.
Trevor Harding
Japan 4-10-03
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Hi guys,
I bought an Osage stave from you back in January. You had it shipped over to Northern Ireland in about two weeks... I have been working quite hard on the stave, doing everything by hand. Well, it has been finished for a while now, though I did not yet have the chance to use it. This evening however, I did for the first time. And I am very happy that the bow shoots enormously good! There is a little hand shock, but overall, it performed much better then a commercial recurved bow I used to have of about the same poundage. I have included a few photo's in this e-mail, though I don't yet have any photos from the finished bow. The bow now shoots at a poundage of about 43. I am very happy!
Thanks very much, and I hope to do business again soon!
Anthonio Akkermans
4/27/03
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Jamie
The Stave was great, I wish I could work a Stave that gorges every time. It was exceptionally straight and no knots at all, unheard of in Osage in Kansas. The bow has virtually made itself. I can hardly wait to shoot it at the Pawhuska shoot. These staves are worth every penny and then some. Thanks much. If your ever down this way swing through and visit Look forward to meeting you
Robert Rasico
4/28/03
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James,
I bought an osage orange bowstave from you about
a year and 3 monthes ago. With your advice and
a copy of Al Herrin's Cherokee Bows and Arrows
plus lots of other reading and work I have a
bow that draws about 30 inches at 60lbs. It
has a 71 inch rawhide bowstring and the length
from nock to nock is 74.25 inches. Im still
polishing up the handle but it shoots nice!
Im shooting goose feathered arrows with
sharpened bone points.
This bow is my second attempted longbow. The
first one was a hard maple longbow that
developed a split on one end and will now have
to become a short bow. OH well! :) I did
learn alot from that experience.
I am having alot of fun with my new hobby and
wanted to thank you and your father for helping
me out and answering my questions.
Thanks for your help.
Sean Duffy
Pennsylvania
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Thank you Jamie for picking me out such a nice stave..Those 3 years of persistent work with other bow wood (and many broken ones too) only kinda prepared me for the challenge I faced with Osage. I have no idea on how many hours I worked on it, but a spiritual connection is present when working with such a challenging wood. I just received Cherokee Bows And Arrows by Al Herrin..that your Dad sent me EXCELLENT BOOK!!!
Take Care,
John E. Gray
Alaska
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James works hard to obtain customer satisfaction from each Osage Stave.Every Osage Stave has many hours applied to it from picking the tree to placing the Osage Stave in a building to season.
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