welsh yew

[ChakaZulu]

Why, because there's some magical quality about yew (or YEW, if capitalising it makes it somehow different)? Care to enlighten us about what makes a yew bow so infinitely fine? Is it just history or do you have some evidence that says it's better than any other wood or combination of wood? Any yew, that is, not necessarily a decent quality yew as used by bowyers.

Do you object to people having antique swords as ornaments? Or flintlock pistols? Do you basically object to using anything as an ornament that has some other purpose? Or is it just yew longbows? Is it perhaps because one is allowed to shoot them that one should have to?

On which topic, you say it's a weapon of war. Presumably therefore your objection applies only to warbows or even to lighter bows in the style of the warbow. The Victorian style target bow, which was never intended for war would be permissible as an ornament or not? How similar does something need to be to make it unacceptable as an ornament?

Personally I wouldn't have a longbow as an ornament, but only because I don't think it is as aesthetically pleasant as some other weapons. If I like the look of a longbow I see nothing wrong with having one as an ornament. I love the history of it but having tried shooting longbow I decided it wasn't for me. Why shouldn't I have one as an ornament?

 

[philhoney]

What's wrong with using a YEW bow at the weekend and hanging it on the wall for the rest of the week?

 

[ChakaZulu]

That's not what people did 600 years ago! When not being shot it should be carried through France in the pi$$ing rain!

 

[Deleted member 7654]

I'm back, while everyone has continued arguing I made a bow from the worst possible bit of manky English Yew (ok not a longbow) and it's fine.
My point is that many peoply may be put off trying English Yew because of blanket statements which they read and hear.
It is a shame to disscourage people from trying their hand at bow making, and to answer some one's earlier question, what is special about Yew. It makes a fine bow, follows the string less and is less prone to chrysal than such common woods as Ash.
Del

 

[gallois]

Hi guys,
Just joined this forum after finding this thread on a random search about yew. I have been an archer and bowyer for many years and have, occasionally, used yew staves. There is a lot of mis-information about yew staves so I hope I can contribute something useful. What makes a good self bow stave, from whichever wood is governed by location and altitude. The higher up a tree grows the slower it grows and therefore denser the ring pattern. Trees that grow in churchyards are generally those with spreading limbs and during there growth they tend to twist and bend. Alpine yew frequently grows in dense forests and due to the proximity of other trees they grow tall and straight with very little twist.
My friend Celestino Poletti, an Italian bowyer, makes very good yew bows from staves sourced in the Italian and Swiss Alps.
Danceswithbunnies may have sufficient wood for 3 or 4 bows if the wood is clear and straight. They need to be air dried for at least 18months with the ends sealed to prevent splitting. With good quality staves costing as much as ?250 I would keep one and sell the others!
Good luck