Why Yew ??

[LongStick64]

I love it but why is it so highly regarded. I know it has a historical perspective but why was it favored over other woods.

[McDave]

The back of the bow is being stretched, while the belly of the bow is being compressed. Some woods have the capability to be stretched, while other woods have the capability to be compressed. God made yew for bowyers with a sapwood that was able to be stretched, and heartwood that was able to be compressed. It's like having laminated wood layers within one tree.

[Sirius Black]

I think it was "the" wood used in English longbows. I'm guessing that it was also a wood commonly found in England?

[Grey Taylor]

While yew did and does grow in England the balance of what was used for bows in the Middle Ages was imported from Italy.

Yew is a great wood for selfbows. It's got that magical ability to stretch on one side and compress on the other. The historical aspect is certainly there, too. But when it comes to glass lam bows I think it's just sentiment and looks that attract people to it. The fiberglass does the balance of the work there.

Guy

[nineworlds9]

It's a great looking wood in historical or modern bows. Lots of depth and character.  Yes by a certain point most of the yew in England had been cut down during the Middle Ages, then they got the majority of it from Spain, Italy, and Germany.

[john fletch]

As above the main supply for the English longbow was the Mediterranean Yew.  I have read more than one article that said the Yew found in England today was actually transplanted from the Med area.  It does not grow as well as the moderate climate Yew.  Although some subspecies of Yew do grow in cold or wet climates...  such as the Pacific Yew of NW USA.  Pacific Yew does make a good bow, but I have also read that the quality of the Med Yew was the best - and that supply is severely endangered now if not extinct.

I love making Pacific Yew bows, but I have to be honest...  I believe that Osage is the best wood found in the USA for overall bow performance.  I still love the character and beauty of the Yew bow most of all.

[2fletch]

Pacific Yew makes a nice smooth shooting bow with decent cast. Osage is better for a short bow. Yew is so much easier to process then Osage. If I rated woods on ease of processing with a ten being the best score, I would rate Yew at about a nine, hickory at about six, osage at about four, and dogwood at about a one.

[joe skipp]

I love the way Yew looks and darkens over time. It's just a pretty wood and with a cocobolo riser to offset the yew, can't ask for a prettier bow.

 


 

[frassettor]

Originally posted by joe skipp:
I love the way Yew looks and darkens over time. It's just a pretty wood and with a cocobolo riser to offset the yew, can't ask for a prettier bow.

 


 

:eek:    :eek:    :eek:   WOW, that is a looker Joe

[Nativestranger]

Yew and cocobolo does make for a great color combination. Love the grain pattern on that one.

[Bob B.]

While I can not disagree with the other posts, I would also add Yew is very light, and so smooth on the draw.  It is a snappy, quick to recover wood.  I find it to be very similar to cedar or even bamboo.  

Although bamboo can be more consistant, Yew is real close and - in my opinion - just looks better.  Yew will always be a favorite for me.

Bob.

[joe skipp]

Here is my 1993 Original Bill Stewart Multi Cam T/D. The riser was light maple, which I had darkened to offset the beautiful Yew limbs.


 


 

[eflanders]

To answer the OP there are only a handful of wood species that have the desireable  characteristics needed for a bow.  Especially in an all-wood bow.  Certain Yew species when used in combination with another one or two of the "choice" bowyer woods can bring out the best characteristics of each species. There are other Yew species which are not very good for building bows.

[Jerry Jeffer]

Finest shooting bow wood I have ever shot.

 

 

 

[NBK]

Beautiful bow Jerry, what kind is it?

[DayTripper]

Historical value?!?!?!

"Way back in October 1415 at the Battle of Agincourt the presumptuous French made it known that the middle finger of all captured Englishmen would be cut off. The English were known for their longbow made of  yew wood native to England. The yew longbow is plucked with the middle finger so should captured Englishmen lose their middle fingers they would never be able to use a longbow pluck yew again.  When the English defeated the French they mocked them by making a show of their continued ability to ‘pluck yew’ or pluck the longbow and fight by raising the middle finger and shouting ‘Pluck Yew’ which was taken to mean:  ‘Look, we can still pluck yew!’

It is also believed that the two finger sign (reverse peace sign) that also carries the same meaning as the single middle finger also derived from this battle.  It is said that some archers believed that instead of just one middle finger the French intended to cut off the 1st and 2nd fingers so that they would be unable to use a longbow.

Whether you use the middle finger or the two fingered reverse peace sign, the meaning remains the same – Pluck Yew!"      

[Rick Richard]

What???????????
Busting a gut!!!!!

[Grey Taylor]

Actually, that old urban legend has been debunked:
 http://www.snopes.com/language/apocryph/pluckyew.asp

Guy