Does yew darken with age? Just got a Redman

[Overspined]

I ordered a 1 piece Hill Redman and got it in like a month! Crazy. 68" 45@28"

It came with all lams kind of blonde really, and I have an older used one my wife shoots that is a nice dark reddish color, well, that of nice yew.

So my question is will the wood in this bow darken with time? Should I keep it where some light can hit it?

Shoots awesome and I am not at all disappointed, but just curious if I can get it to darken a bit.

[YORNOC]

I'm no expert on yew, but I have a couple of chunks of pacific yew that are waiting to be used someday in a riser. They have definitely darkened over time. Not in direct sunlight either.

[Irish Archer]

I don't know for sure, but I just read somewhere that Yew does age to a darker color.

I hope so because I received a Half Breed earlier this year myself. Mine is pretty light also.

[LBR]

Yes, it does darken over time.  No need to leave it in direct sunlight.

[Dick in Seattle]

Yep, yew is like a good wife... just improves with age!

Seriously, it does indeed darken and mellow as it ages.   Congratulations on a really nice bow.  It doesn't get much better than a full length 45# Redman.  good wood and perfect weight.   I used to have a heavier one, till I couldn't pull it anymore.   Couple of months ago I decided I missed it and made an all yew forward riser Hill style.   I'm looking forward to watching it age.

[Wannabe1]

I love the color of my Redman right now. It is kind of in between light/dark. 70", 45# @ 29".
 
 

[Overspined]

Thx for the info! Keep it coming. Can't get enough of the Hills

[Jim Wright]

I have a Dan Toeke Whip and a Super D, both with highly figured/knotted Yew veneers and they have darkened noticeably but are still beautiful.

[Jerry Jeffer]

Yep, it darkens and gets a nice orange.

[Dick in Seattle]

Here is a picture of a yew bow I built two months ago and one built 3 years ago.  You can see plainly the age darkening ...

 

[Overspined]

thx! I was hoping it would darken a little.

[Ben Maher]

all of mine have darkened.. what a sweet wood is yew!

[Dick in Seattle]

Ben... you are right...great wood.  When I started building I was told yew was very hard to get.  I ran into a deal and ended up with two aged planks, 2" thick, a nominal varied 8 to 10 inches wide and 5 feet long!  The shipping about killed me!  Not all usable... usual angled edges, some bark on, knots, etc, but nonetheless solid gold sitting in my wood stack whenever the yew urge hits.  I think I've built five so far and not done with the first plank.  My favorite bow these days is the all yew forward riser I finished up a couple of months back.  It's the right hand one in the pic   8^)

[Ric O'Shay]

Here's a pic of my new Belcher Union Jack. As you can see, it is already dark even though new. However, this bow is English yew, not the Pacific Yew that Hill Archery and Northwest Archery use. It is naturally a deeper red/amber color and much denser that Pacific Yew.


 

[Wannabe1]

Wow, that's a beauty of a bow Ric! I like that darker yew.  

[GingivitisKahn]

I'm really digging the color of the yew lams on my Halfbreed.  Very smooth looking...

 

[Eric Sprick]

Yew is probably my favorite limb wood, you made a great choice.  Eric.

[Tajue17]

I have a strunk that I thought was dark osage but it turns out its darkened YEW,,,, its the only bow I have where if I shoot an arrow and miss,,, the arrow continues around and comes back in from behind and lands back in my quiver,, 8)

[Joe Subler]

The juniper that Craig puts in his Cheetah's is a really nice wood as well.

Cheers,
Joe

[LongStick64]

I have a clear glass Big Five that the Bamboo has started to darken a bit. Didn't think that would happen with bamboo.