Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: danny f on July 11, 2013, 04:22:11 pm
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hi there, i have managed to get this yew log which was cut in december but left where it was, i split it the other week and it split perfectly in half, but i was wondering if i shold split it again or wait until i get a bandsaw and try to get 3 staves from each length. they are 73"long and about 7"wide, there is some damage to the bark in places and probably the sapwood too . i dont want to ruin it by being greedy but dont want to waste it either if i can get a few staves from it. also it has lots of humps and bumps on it. what do you yew experts think??
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_0983_zps46f94874.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_0983_zps46f94874.jpg.html)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_0982_zps7487f788.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_0982_zps7487f788.jpg.html)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_0981_zpsfbea22d8.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_0981_zpsfbea22d8.jpg.html)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_0980_zps6c3986a9.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_0980_zps6c3986a9.jpg.html)
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The best possible thing to do with that is to send it to me >:D
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Slat it up and make backed bows Danny. That's my vote.
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I'm usually against ripping yew staves into boards, but I'm with PD on this, for sure. Just looking at that bark gives me jitters - you'll be in for a huge challenge if you try and lay out self bows on those logs.
If you're lucky you might get one bow per half log there, but you'll still be fighting those ugly lumps and bark damage which often goes deeper than you expect!
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Tough call cus I see some beayewtiful gnarly yew self bows in there..and yes they wood be a challenge....a couple might be better off as flat bow types...there might be one elb in that...wish I could see em in person cus then I'd know what to do for sure..everyone who's commented is just a guess at best honestly....yew is some tough wood and can handle some serious nastiness,and when you pull it off will make a jaw dropper with drool ;)
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Split into staves and make some bows. The sapwood looks healthy enough for some absolutely beautiful character bows. I would kill for the one on the right
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Here's a couple good references in what your in for with self bows...and I'm sure del will be chiming in soon ;) ....sweet bows :)
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=38588.0
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=26498.0
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Here's a bow i made outa a piece of yew most would call sh*** but yew's really tough, it's very hard to break even a half-decayed yew bow, that's what my experience has been at least. I would go for some selfbows.
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cheers everyone,i would love to make a nice character bow especially in yew. so i may split one, and see what i get.and maybe leave the other until later. if i do split should i go for one split down the centre or try for 2 splits?
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i was also wondering what a heartwood only yew bow would be like. if i removed sapwood and chased a ring. does anyone have any links to any? or would it be better backed?
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i was also wondering what a heartwood only yew bow would be like. if i removed sapwood and chased a ring. does anyone have any links to any? or would it be better backed?
I've seen highly violated all yew heartwood bow 5 1/2' long recurved pulled 70#+
Made by Chester Stevenson.
The bow was not much to look at but functional, and beautiful in it own way.
Carson was with me but I think he was blind sides by another bow or 6 ;)
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cheers for that bryce, i wouldn't of thought you could violate the heartwood with out backing. just goes to show how tough it really is.
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I'd split them again and make self bows myself don't see nothing wrong with that, the fun in bow making is the challenges and the fact that no two bows are the same
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well i decided to to take the risk and be greedy, i split the right hand log into 3 staves. they have some lumps and bumps and they will have some wiggly backs, maybe abit to hard for me just yet. they split pretty straight though which is good. i have also posted pics of 2 more half logs from the same tree they are 54"long and are very clean and straight i was thinking of maybe splitting them both again and splicing them together to get 2 longbows from them.
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_0990_zps486391f3.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_0990_zps486391f3.jpg.html)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_0989_zpscb009224.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_0989_zpscb009224.jpg.html)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_0988_zps3ca0cf07.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_0988_zps3ca0cf07.jpg.html)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_0987_zps55534f2a.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_0987_zps55534f2a.jpg.html)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_0986_zps12724473.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_0986_zps12724473.jpg.html)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_0985_zps44456ce1.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_0985_zps44456ce1.jpg.html)
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(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_0984_zps1c7f13d3.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_0984_zps1c7f13d3.jpg.html)
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(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_0991_zps2fb34219.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_0991_zps2fb34219.jpg.html)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_0992_zpsade05480.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_0992_zpsade05480.jpg.html)
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They look so similar to a haul I got a while back! Mine are still seasoning but I could almost swear they came from the same tree as yours! You're in for a challenge with them, that's for sure but nothing is impossible! Don't you just love typical English yew? Who needs that dead straight clean stuff they get in America, eh?
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Nice looking stuff, I'd probably have done the same thing and gone for the three splits. The piece had those three lobes that made it a natural for three staves. Of course if I'd done it I'd have used the bandsaw.
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yes will the yew over here grows very wonky, that straight pacific stuff looks to easy to me >:D, only kidding i would love some it would be alot easier for me at this stage lol.
tom i would of bandsawed it to if i had one. but i am now glad i split it as i know how the grain runs. i will probably do the other in the morning and see how that goes.
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Straight? I do t think so.
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Splitting does give you additional info on the wood, thats for sure. But it does come at a price, you get a little waste on the edges. Looks like all three of your staves have enough wood in them. I'm impressed that they don't taper much in thickness towards the top end.
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i was also wondering what a heartwood only yew bow would be like. if i removed sapwood and chased a ring. does anyone have any links to any? or would it be better backed?
I've seen highly violated all yew heartwood bow 5 1/2' long recurved pulled 70#+
Made by Chester Stevenson.
The bow was not much to look at but functional, and beautiful in it own way.
Carson was with me but I think he was blind sides by another bow or 6 ;)
Saying Chester Stevenson made it so we can make it, is a bit of a stretch! I guess it does prove its physically possible though.
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It's been done by other ppl. That's just the only bow I've held and seen with my own 2 eyes.
Check paleo there's a few on there.
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That is some straight grain stuff. The sapwood looks plenty healthy from what I can see, but surely there will be some grey streaks. I have a lumpy all heartwood stave that was cut from a dead-standing yew. Haven't got it bending yet, but I am inclined to leave it unbacked. I will try to post it up sooner than later. That log is going to make some really neat bows.
That Stevenson bow was impressive. I saw another of his osage bows that was completely violated all over the back. Growth rings were ignored and the bow was shaped to a wide flat back. Perfectly smooth.
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i meant they didnt twist or split to one side, i know they are far from straight lol. they have split better than any other yew i have split so far. i will have my work cut out trying to get a bow from them. i may just leave them until i feel more confident so i dont ruin them.
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I'd at least work on the worst one of those staves. You might gain some valuable experience on it that will apply to the rest moreso than working with other wood. Plus, saving wood is a double-edged sword. Eventually it becomes more dear because it is so old, and then the pressure to not mess it up is worse.
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Hi Danny, Sweet haul. You did the right thing regarding splitting. You do get rough edges, but with those knobbly lumps, the grain is intact. Theres's some beautiful bows in those staves, can't wait to see what you do with them.
Hamish.
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well i finally got the other half of the log split up. i got 3 staves and a length of heartwood only. this side had branches growing inside the trunk but they hadnt come through the bark there are some holes in a couple of the staves but they should be ok. theres plenty of wiggles to. :)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_1108_zps32c1af2d.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_1108_zps32c1af2d.jpg.html)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_1107_zps56324959.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_1107_zps56324959.jpg.html)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_1109_zps7f3eea64.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_1109_zps7f3eea64.jpg.html)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_1102_zps9156d62c.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_1102_zps9156d62c.jpg.html)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_1104_zps9c445fab.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_1104_zps9c445fab.jpg.html)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_1105_zps967b0dbf.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_1105_zps967b0dbf.jpg.html)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_1106_zpsd519567b.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_1106_zpsd519567b.jpg.html)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_1101_zps72a6e77e.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_1101_zps72a6e77e.jpg.html)
(http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr292/dfee82/IMG_1112_zpsb6c621a5.jpg) (http://s493.photobucket.com/user/dfee82/media/IMG_1112_zpsb6c621a5.jpg.html)
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Yeah! those will be some wicked bows! 8)
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Those are some knarly a$$ed staves, but there's nuthin' more purdy than a character yew bow IMHO. Working with those will also make you a better bowyer.