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Blacksmith's *Stunning* 76" Yew Warbow 140#@32"

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Del the cat:

--- Quote from: Blacksmith77K on March 06, 2015, 03:00:19 pm ---
@Del

After building some yewbows (...nearly 500...) i can say, that the ringcount is not really a hint for superb yew-wood. You can have 25rpi with enormous power and +85rpi like a garden hose.

You have to know, on which ground the tree is grown...  ;)

--- End quote ---
Yes, I agree, that's what I was implying...
There are just some people in the UK who insist High Altitude Italian Yew is best and I've been arguing against that for years.
The "High altitude Chinese Yew" is my joke...I cut a bit that was growing behind a Chinese restaurant and I had to climb up about 10 feet onto a flat roof to get it :laugh: It made a nice 130# bow.
Del

yew hunter:
Is it possible to know if a yew stave is going to make a garden hose, or a good bow if you disregard the rpi and dont know the ground it was grown in? Are there any other signs?

Del the cat:

--- Quote from: yew hunter on March 06, 2015, 11:50:00 pm ---Is it possible to know if a yew stave is going to make a garden hose, or a good bow if you disregard the rpi and dont know the ground it was grown in? Are there any other signs?

--- End quote ---
No and no.
Colour, rpi,density, the ground it was grown in, the phase of the moon, the colour of your underpants etc are IMO not reliable indicators.
Del

ceolith:
I would say: yes and no

You can smell (no joke) if the yew was growing on sour or alkaline ground. Alkaline give you the chance for a hard, fast and tough wood. Most with less physical weight.
The sour one is softer, more flexible and clearly less drawweight with the same bow-dimensions.

The other thing is the gender from the yew...

To have a chance for a outstanding yew you should keep a eye on:

Fakt:

- alkaline (smells like sand if you rasp or saw them, not clearly sour)
- female (red berries)
- a ringcount over 25rpi
- more salmon corewood then brownish
- straight

If you do that, then the chance to pick a real good stave will increase enormous.  8)


The rest is hokus-pokus and you have to be a skilled bowyer.  ;)

yew hunter:
Thanks. I have noted alot of difference in yew from tree to tree, I will now be taking note of the smell.

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