Next problem stave

[SimonUK]

Here's a bit of yew.

At one end there is some grey discoloration the full thickness of the sapwood. In fact it's present down most of the stave, but only at the sapwood/heartwood junction.  The first two pictures show it from the side and the back.

I thought about cutting off that end which would leave me with 80 inches to make a bow.  But the other end of the stave is very wavy, see picture three.

Is that grey stuff fatal? It looks like some kind of infection to me. And can I get that wavy end to bend safety? Thanks, Simon.

[stevesjem]

Hi Simon

the grew line is sap rot, it occurs quite a lot in European yew, not really much to worry about.

Steve

[SimonUK]

Thanks Steve.

I wondered if I could keep the grey bit in the bow, as a non-bending section near the tip. But from what you say it should be able to take some bend?

[stevesjem]

Hi simon

yeah no problem, just don't give any special attention, it should be fine.

[D. Tiller]

Hows the other end look? If its not naturally recurved like this one you might want to steam it and make it like the other.  I believe they did this back in the medieval ages too after the crusades. Though, we dont have any real proof they did do this there are some painting that tend to show this as having been done.

If not it does add a alot of charecter to the bow you will bend.

David T

[SimonUK]

The grey end is straight, the wavy end is slightly reflexed.  I think that wavy end will give me problems - trying to get it bending evenly without breaking.  My last bow from this log snapped during tillering, so I don't hold out much hope.

[Yeomanbowman]

As Steve says it's not a problem, wood turner love it and call it spalting.  Was the wood kept damp for a while?  I've made heavy bows from yew like yours that was cut and left out for nearly a year.

[Hartung]

Yes, it’s called spalted wood. That means that one or several fungus has/have infected the wood. Without going into details, the growth of that fungus can be stopped by drying the wood before the action the fungus has become fatal to the wood. Your wood looks quite good, but, in general, that kind of (infected) wood is only used for purposes where the wood is not put under stress conditions (bowls and furniture for example).

People that have used that wood successfully for making bows (me included) are lucky that the fungus’s action had not been fatal to the wood. But it’s a game of “give and take”. If you’re lucky, the bow wont break   

Good luck to you.

[SimonUK]

Exactly the same Jeremy. It was cut and left outside for a year, then it's been inside for 2 years. Let's see how it goes.

[Badger]

Any spalting I have ever seen meant disaster for a bow. Sap rot may not be the same as spalting not sure. I have seen plenty of gray stained wood from storage that was fine but true spalting eats the cells of the wood. Steve

[Marc St Louis]

I wouldn't trust it either.

[SimonUK]

Too late!  The stave is now cut to size and I have to use that grey end.  So I guess I'm about to find out if it's true spalting or not.

[D. Tiller]

I believe you have a 50/50 chance of getting  bow out of that stave. And I believe we may here the often lamented howl of the distraught bowyer in the near future!!!! AHHHHHHHHHH!! NO DEAR GOD NOOOOOOO!!!!! 

[stevesjem]

There is quite a lot of difference between European Yew and American Yew, I have made a number of European yew warbows with this discolouration and none have suffered as a result from it.

[SimonUK]

So far that grey end is holding up fine and I have a nice gentle tiller to it.

But the wavy/deflexed end is a problem. The whole limb is bending quite a lot despite being deeper than the other limb  AND the bow is twisting as I draw it because the reflex is making the tip off centre. I cut the last 12 inches too narrow so I don't have any wood to play with...

I'm thinking of shortening the refexed end more. I would normally do this after tillering is complete, but it might bring the tip back in line a little and save the bow.