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Where to cut yew

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PatM:
 I'm just not sure why you think it's going to be left behind on a freshly peeled log.

tannhillman:
Because it IS left behind on a freshly peeled log, I do it that way all the time, have done for years and that's what happens !

PatM:
 Since the cambium is actually a single layer of stem cells it seems unlikely that you can actually see if it's there or not.

WillS:
I'm not sure why you think the MR bows have cambium on them.  Most were worked down slightly, to use the harder outer layer of a sapwood growth ring.  A couple had super tight thin sapwood and the bark was simply removed, in which case SOME tiny traces of inner bark can be seen, but certainly not on the majority.

Here are some pics I took last time I went.  If you can see any cambium/inner bark, point it out in these pics because I must also be mistaken on what "cambium" is.











When compared to this for example, which is a Pacific yew warbow I built recently and left most of the inner bark in place (or is this cambium?)

Del the cat:
It states in the work done on the MR bows (by Hardy I believe)  that there are traces of cambium on the back of some of the bows.
Your picture of your Pacific Yew warbow is typical of a bow that hasn't had any the sap wood taken down to reduce it's thickness and....
a) Hasn't been meticulously cleaned up. No criticism is  implied as I believe that's exactly what they are talking about on the MR and many of my bows show the same, unless I am being obsessive in prettying them up.
or
b) Hasn't been tillered with the 'underbark' left on to allow it to pop off in one piece, which gives a virtually perfect surface.

I think the main problem with this thread is twofold... one the naming of the layer above the sapwood, as the Hardy MR reference refers to both bast and cambium and I take it the mean the stuff visible in your pic (which in my experience is homogeneous with the thicker corky layer which pops off). It doesn't really matter what we call it in terms of seasoning wood and making bows as long as we understand what we mean.
The other problem is the different experiences with Yew. It is up to the reader who's opinion and advice they take.
As always I only ever offer my first hand experience, and I have no problem with people ignoring it or preferring the experience of others.
I shall in future use a generic rather than specific name for the corky fibrous underbark stuff that pops off.
Del
BTW... nice looking back :)

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