Main Discussion Area > English Warbow
Is Yew Good?
Fundin:
Yew is very good when good, but will break for no apparent reason if the quality is poor, I have experienced both. From two of the trees I just couldnīt make a bow that would hold together, and from the rest, the bows seemed unbreakable....
Also consider the MC of the wood, at least where I live, it can get down far to low during winter (Like 10-15%RH indoors), and if the bow is not properly shot in before, it will break more easily.
adb:
I believe a warbow proportioned yew selfbow is a special bow for certain people. Yew is high performance, no doubt, but it is also high maintenance. It is a soft wood, requires knowledable tillering, and needs to be cared for with great attention. Not a good bow for first time or inexperienced archers. Also, they're expensive... to both make, and purchase. Owning a yew selfbow is the refinement of an archer's status as such. Like a car enthusiast owning a vintage MG. it requires knowledge and care. From experience, yew will not lose any performance, but would not make a good knock-around everyday shooter. Also, if Medieval bowyers could have gotten their hands on osage, don't you think they'd have used it, with great success? Especially with a hickory back? Yew was the best material they had at the time, for heavy weight warbows. A yew selfbow is a truly amazing piece of our living history... well worth experiencing.
Cheers.
Rich Saffold:
Steve, Since you have made more Yew warbows than most if not all here, I knew it would be interesting..in a good way ;D
Rich
D. Tiller:
Steve, I still stand by what I said. The design is a high stress design when done properly and not overbuilt. In constant day to day use in all weather conditions it will wear down. Have you been out with it in sheeting rain, snow and high humidity conditions as we have here in the states, especially during hunting season?
For everyday use and a bow that can take these conditions I will stick with either osage or vinemaple! Yew is a great wood for a performance bow but not fore the everyday hunting bows I would take in the woods. Plus, its too expensive to use in such a manner!
juniper junkie:
in my own experiences i think the english longbow design is a very poor design for yew, with the rounded belly it concentrates compression which results in frets and crysals, I have made several yew bows that have more of a flat belly and they out-perform the ELB pound for pound. and I have had very few break. I think the warbow was a quick bow to make and its length helped to make it last. you can laminate various other woods to help the bows longevity, but then it is no longer a self-bow. as far a durability in hunting, I used a yew bow a entire season in rain, snow and heat, and never lost any weight or performance, but of course the bow was finished and sealed to repel any moisture. vinemaple seems to be more affected by heat and moisture than yew. as far a de-laminating, you can see in the growth rings if there is any wind shake or snow load that caused a stress seperation between the rings by a dark streak, these can de-laminate if not wrapped with sinew. I personally really prefer yew, it is pleasant to shoot, light, and quick responding. it is also nice to work with, responds well to steaming or boiling for recurving tips. I try not to toss my bows around too much as the wood is prone to denting. as with any wood, there are varying qualities, some of which will not be recognized until the bow is coming to tiller, and therefore is hard to determine in just stave form. ;)
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