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Until a 2-3 years ago (perhaps less) I'd never heard of Osage Orange . . . all I knew was those dummy trash orange fruit-like things growing on trees and making a mess of things on the ground . . . until my brother sent me 2-3 potential cane shanks and I was 100% taken by them from the get-go. One of them I now use in the house 24/7 even beside the bed at night and it fits me like a glove. Osage Orange is like no other wood I've worked with in these 30+ years of woodworking.
Yesterday morning I decided to go looking for some sticks at a public park where I had found some decent fallen walnut and beech sticks this time last year. As I pulled up alongside the curb I discovered Osage Orange fruit laying on the ground. Yippee!
I parked, got out but did not find any future cane shanks . . . however a neighborhood lady, out walking her dog, volunteered approx two blocks south at another of those city parks was a grove of Osage Orange and she had seen the fruit laying on the ground.
And there I found eight Osage Orange trees - I did not have my good digital camera along (regret) - but took this pic with my cell phone. I've never seen anything like it - the bark looks almost hand-carved - it's amazing. I managed to find/bring home 3-4 potential cane shanks but am now well aware of many dead branches/limbs that probably will come down this winter, if we have heavy snow/ice storms.
And you won't need to remind me - I'm headed back and hope I don't fall and break anything precious.
-neb
Yesterday morning I decided to go looking for some sticks at a public park where I had found some decent fallen walnut and beech sticks this time last year. As I pulled up alongside the curb I discovered Osage Orange fruit laying on the ground. Yippee!
I parked, got out but did not find any future cane shanks . . . however a neighborhood lady, out walking her dog, volunteered approx two blocks south at another of those city parks was a grove of Osage Orange and she had seen the fruit laying on the ground.
And there I found eight Osage Orange trees - I did not have my good digital camera along (regret) - but took this pic with my cell phone. I've never seen anything like it - the bark looks almost hand-carved - it's amazing. I managed to find/bring home 3-4 potential cane shanks but am now well aware of many dead branches/limbs that probably will come down this winter, if we have heavy snow/ice storms.
And you won't need to remind me - I'm headed back and hope I don't fall and break anything precious.
-neb
