thank you very much for all of your replies I think things got a little confusing I am NOT making an exact replica bow I am merely making a replica style bow meaning my interpretation of what that BOw stave was goong to become ... and from All the evidence i would think it was on its way to become a 60# LONGBOW unbacked with no sapwood. The piece of yew im useing is a split damaged tree so there is no sapwood there. I can ether chase a ring ... or have grain lines (several growthrings ) running down the back of the bow . I will recieve this yew stave (along with one premium yew stave for a flat bow im building and a nice vine maple stave too ) by fri this week ... im also recieving some copper bus and will be making a copper axe to ruff the bow out with