Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Raptard on June 21, 2013, 03:06:42 am

Title: Yew?
Post by: Raptard on June 21, 2013, 03:06:42 am

Quick question, is this yew?
http://imgur.com/a/4OYg1
(yes i know they are crumby, my camera is deteriorating and i need a new one.

Title: Re: Yew?
Post by: Bryce on June 21, 2013, 03:35:59 am

It's some kind of yew. Where was this taken?

Title: Re: Yew?
Post by: Raptard on June 21, 2013, 03:37:39 am

my back yard  ;D my dad always said it was just a big juniper bush or something, it gets red berries with a single seed in the middle.

Title: Re: Yew?
Post by: Bryce on June 21, 2013, 03:41:53 am

United States? Uk. Canada? Narrow it down a bit please

Title: Re: Yew?
Post by: Joec123able on June 21, 2013, 03:45:30 am

Red berries ?  not juniper

Title: Re: Yew?
Post by: Raptard on June 21, 2013, 03:48:03 am

ohh the U.S. NW ohio to be exact

Title: Re: Yew?
Post by: Del the cat on June 21, 2013, 03:50:00 am

I'd say yes, but I'd like to see a pic of the whole thing.
Cut off a small bit, even a 1/2" branch should show heart & sap wood. You can them make a miniature :)
Del

Title: Re: Yew?
Post by: Raptard on June 21, 2013, 04:07:05 am

i'll do that tomorrow...well later today i guess since its 240 am.

Title: Re: Yew?
Post by: DarkSoul on June 21, 2013, 07:15:32 am

Yes, it looks like yew. But I don't see any bow-sized or even billet-sized branches in there...
Maybe wood for overlays and handles.

Title: Re: Yew?
Post by: Ed Brooks on June 21, 2013, 11:33:53 am

I have used limbs from yew about an 1 1/4 around for bow wood. 

Title: Re: Yew?
Post by: adb on June 21, 2013, 12:11:56 pm

Certainly looks like yew. Perhaps Japanese ornamental yew? I see the right kind of needles, and red bark... but a cut X-section would be helpful.

Title: Re: Yew?
Post by: blackhawk on June 21, 2013, 12:17:18 pm

Might be what's called hicksii yew...its an ornamental/bush hybrid that's a cross breed between Japanese and English yew....not sure if there's any bows in there judging by poor quality pics and no reference of how long or wide those are......

BUT...I have made a couple bows out of small diameter yew before....here's one I did a year ago...and I have another one but never posted it...

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=33859.0

Title: Re: Yew?
Post by: bluegill68 on June 21, 2013, 12:18:00 pm

Japanese ornamental yew, had several in my front yard as a boy.

Title: Re: Yew?
Post by: Raptard on June 21, 2013, 06:57:09 pm

well here's the cross section and full pics (my flash is now stuck on so it's hard to tell bet there is heartwood). there is one i am looking at that is about 3" across.
http://imgur.com/a/84mPj

Title: Re: Yew?
Post by: Raptard on June 21, 2013, 07:04:21 pm

also,do you have any tips for working with yew? i'm gunna stick with my crappy quality pieces of mulberry for a while but i will definitly try yew sometime

Title: Re: Yew?
Post by: BOWMAN53 on June 21, 2013, 07:54:39 pm

Careful with those seeds, theyre poisonous

Title: Re: Yew?
Post by: Raptard on June 21, 2013, 08:15:53 pm

-_- really? you think i'm just gunna go out and start chewing on them?   ;)

Title: Re: Yew?
Post by: BOWMAN53 on June 22, 2013, 04:56:18 pm

Lol hey "tard" is in your name lol jk. I meant if you have any dogs ir cats to make sure You do leave the  berries on the ground.

Title: Re: Yew?
Post by: Raptard on June 22, 2013, 06:55:41 pm

ahh got it, yae its behind the invisible fence so my dogs aren't getting into it.