Heat treating Yew?

[Del the cat]

Has anyone heat treated Yew?
The stave I'm working on has a fair bit of twist and bend which I've steamed out, but I find it's still shifting and coming back, I could also do to gain a couple of pounds.
I'm wondering if heat treating would firm it up and stop it wanding about so much.
The grain is much tigher on one side of the stave than the other which doesn't help. but it's a pretty bit of wood.
Del

[Del the cat]

Cheers, that's real nice bow, I must have missed it.
I'll give it a go, most of my Yew is fairly coarse grained, although it's the fine grain on this piece which has made me persevere despite the twists and bends.
Del

[Keenan]

Yew is great for heat treating. You should use dry heat for cured wood and wet (steam) for green wood.  If doing tight recurves then boil or steam.  I do allot of heat forming yew and generally use a heat gun and crisco. Just warm the wood and rub on a little crisco (Lard)  This will help prevent scorching or to much moisture loss in the wood.  Be sure to wait for at least a day before tillering after a heat treating session.

[Del the cat]

Cheers Keenan:- I've steamed the bend and twist out of it, I'm hoping to harden/temper the belly to help stabilise it, reduce set, add a few pounds draw weight, speed up the cast (and cure my baldness ) all at the same time.
I've heat treated flat bows, but I'm a tad concerned that with a narrow ELB shape I don't want the heat to creep round the sides and scorch my beautiful creamy sapwood.
Anyone got any cunning tips for stopping heat creep, I wondered iff masking tape would help, but it would prob just catch fire, clamping a thin lath down each edge seems a bit to fiddly...
Yeah, I know, I just want everything, I want it now, and I want it easy...maybe I should just ask Santa to come help?  .
Del

[LEGIONNAIRE]

Hey del if you left the yew in a form for 1 or two days its possible thats why it comes back to shape, try leaving it 5 just to be sure. If you will be heating the bow repeatedly steam is always better, especially with a yew selfbow. To prevent scorching what I would do is use a metal clamp and put a 1/4 inch piece of wood on the back. You may get some burn on the sides but its possible you can sand that away. Hope to see that one working soon, good luck.

[Del the cat]

Hey del if you left the yew in a form for 1 or two days its possible thats why it comes back to shape, try leaving it 5 just to be sure. If you will be heating the bow repeatedly steam is always better, especially with a yew selfbow. To prevent scorching what I would do is use a metal clamp and put a 1/4 inch piece of wood on the back. You may get some burn on the sides but its possible you can sand that away. Hope to see that one working soon, good luck.

Cheers... yeah, impatience is one of my many virtues .
Five whole days??? (Is that Cat days or people days?   )
The only way I can leave a bow alone is to start messing with another. Mind, Mrs Cat will doubtless have some Christmas chores to keep me occupied.
Del