Osage Orange

[Gutpile66]

. . . or 'bodark' or 'hedge-apple'. Anybody know if there's any growing in or around Orange County?

Easily identified by its softball sized green fruit, surface texture looks like small green brains.

[RustyIron]

What are you going to make? A friend brought me a small log all the way from Arkansas. I made a shaving bowl with it, and it came out nicely. I don't know if it's all this way, but my log had all kinds of cracks in it. The wood is tough, though, so it didn't affect my finished work.

[Gutpile66]

I've got a couple old hatchet heads need new handles. And maybe there's a self-bow in the near future. I might end up buying a couple staves on the innerwebs.

I know where to find hickory, I'd love to know if there's any Osage nearby . . .

The Osage experts coat the sawed ends with urethane immediately after harvesting to help prevent the cracks.

[RustyIron]

That sounds like a worthy project. I'm pretty certain none of my scraps would be adequate for handles. Does osage make good "working" handles, or is it more for ornamental purposes?

[Dragunov]

. . . or 'bodark' or 'hedge-apple'. Anybody know if there's any growing in or around Orange County?

Easily identified by its softball sized green fruit, surface texture looks like small green brains.

Someone may have one as an ornamental. They're not native to CA.
From South-Central Texas, north and east to Ontaria Canada, is where you'll find it. Most populous in TX, OK, AR, KY, MO, OH, W.VA.

BTW, you can eat the Hedge apple seeds.

[Dragunov]

That sounds like a worthy project. I'm pretty certain none of my scraps would be adequate for handles. Does osage make good "working" handles, or is it more for ornamental purposes?

VERY tough for handles, GREAT for making bows, even if they are a bit crooked.

[Gutpile66]

Yes, super strong wood that's exactly why I'm after it. It was named after the Osage Indians from the OK area who used it for tools, bows, and war-clubs. French trappers from the area called it 'bodark' which is short for 'bow-wood'.

I've found where some is growing in southeast Riverside county; maybe I'll take a trip out there with my chainsaw, take a look . . .

[CVShooter]

No - they don't grow in CA. But it's close cousin is prolific in suburbia -- mulberry. Makes excellent bows, from what I hear.