question about Osage Orange....

[NaughtyPine]

I just picked up some nice sticks of Osage Orange from a neighbor who cleared out a fence row. I removed the bark and sapwood down to the orange area with a draw knife and have it tapered down to a nice cane blank. It it fresh cut and I am wondering what I should do to keep it from bowing or splitting till I have it carved and poly coated?

[foamer01]

Great question, I have successfully used anchor seal.
Anchorseal Green Wood Sealer - UC Coatings

[chuckbolton]

osage orange ( hedge) was used for axles on cannon in the civil war and thru WWI. its hard when its dry-i doubt that you can carve it with hand tools. and strong. i made a spatula out of it several years ago -- when it was pretty green, tho i used a sander to finish it-- its holding up fine tho it did change color from greenish to now cherry colored-- tho its had nothing added except oil from cooking. i do think there is a time from dry enough to carve and "dry" for a cane id find a root with a crook in it. i know that would never break. good luck with your project

[Ed Redwine]

Osage Orange (bois d'arc) (hedge in KS) is a beautiful orange wood that can be carved with a knife. I've made small crucifix's out of it and it makes great knife handles. I cut and preserved some for several years by sealing the ends of the logs with common wax, the same kind used in sealing home canning jars. This stuff was planted in KS in the 30's in wind breaks and consequently, it is abundant here. Lots of folks use it for firewood.

[chuckbolton]

ed-- thanks for that info-- ive never tried to carve it- does it take and hold detail-- i just knowit to be very hard when its been cut a while and like you said-- it makes great firewood-- burns hot and little ash left over

[cut up]

It was also used as fencerow in Kansas, along with being a windbreak.
The Cherokee indians used it for bows and arrows in Oklahoma, too.