Chasing yew

[E. Jensen]

Hey everyone, just wanted to share what I was up to lately.  I had some time to kill and wanted an extra challenge so I decided to chase a ring on two sister yew staves I have.  The sapwood was checked very badly so I had to strip it, so I am chasing heartwood rings.  Its hard!  I hit a patch of ~5 rings that are identical in color and I'd be surprised if the latewood on each ring was more than 1-2 cells (first picture).  But the ring I was after has a little more contrast and so I was able to get it.  One of the staves has some inward movement on the rings, so an extra challenge!

[High-Desert]

Chasing rings on yew is a lot of fun. For some reason it's one of my favorite parts of bow making, maybe because of my geology background and having to read maps all the time, rings being just like contour lines. Yew is what I learned to chase rings on. Everything else after yew is a breeze to chase rings on. It looks like you are doing a great job there. Keep us updated on your progress of this soon to be bow.

Eric

[Bryce]

You don't have to chase rings on yew. Even if it is heartwood. Just feather out the ring violations and make the back smooth again and you'll be just fine.

[High-Desert]

You sure dont, but i never hurts. I do everything I can to ensure the survival of a bow.

Eric

[Chris3kilo]

Patience and good eyes required.
E. Jensen can't help to notice your last name, are you danish? If yes, how did you get your hands on  yew? 

[E. Jensen]

By blood but not by nationality.  I bought a big stave from a guy in Oregon and was pretty disappointed, it had deep checks in the sapwood and brown rot at the core, but it was large enough to hatchet all that away and got a sound core and risked a split and got two sister staves.

I know it's not needed but I did it to see if I could.  What I'm thinking now is leaving the back at two rings in patches kinda like natural camo.

[Pappy]

Don't know much about Yew, made a few and always heard the one ring back didn't matter, probably the experts on yew know and I am sure it would be fine, but If I had it in one ring I sure wouldn't violate it for a camo effect if it was mine. May not ne necessary but one ring has to be better I would think. Good looking piece of wood, when you going to get back to Tennessee for a visit , come see me if you do. ?
 Pappy

[E. Jensen]

You're right.  Even if it's not needed, if I'm going to do it I should do it right.

My mom has been bugging me to visit her so sooner or later I imagine I'll be around for a visit.  I tried to get my brothers into it but I think bow making is more sweat on the brow than they're used to.  Unfortunately they lost interest in those two staves we processed and much to my annoyance they got tossed.

[PatM]

Really doesn't look like a pristine ring is being exposed.

[E. Jensen]

I took it to one and then will carefully scrape down one more before the bow is finished.