Working with yew. A few questions

[Red Dwarf]

I have some, for me at least, rather challenging yew billets and have some questions concerning alternate ways to proceed.

Some of these billets have quite a bit of propeller twist in them; as a fairly new bowyer should I be trying to take out the twist with heat? Also, instead of trying to straighten things up, could I flatten the backs, thereby removing the sapwood,  and then back them with something like hickory or bamboo?

I have read articles and seen pictures of guys removing the bark on yew with a drawknife. I assume that this can only be done on near perfect wood as I find myself working as far as I can with a spokeshave and then having to resort to scrapers for the last 40% or so. Am I making things unnecessarily difficult for myself or is this just the way it is when things get lumpy?


Red Dwarf

[Red Dwarf]

TTT

[JackCrafty]

Never worked with yew but if it's anything like juniper....well, you in for a challenge if you try to take the propeller twists out of the staves.  Juniper wants to go back to its original shape after heat bending....especially if the bow is exposed to drastic changes in humidity.

[tom sawyer]

Prop twist is tough to get out.  I think you just have to live with that.  Yes you can flatten the back and glue on a backing if its too bad to use plain.  Might cause some twisting issues as a board too though.  A wider/thinner limb would be better for overcoming this.

Lumpy wood does present challenges as far as bark removal.  Sounds like you're doing what you have to, to get it off.  You don't have to worry about having a single ring on the back of yew though, so don't worry too much about violating the rings.