Sinew backing pacific yew- thoughts on reducing/eliminating sapwood

[Taxus brevifolia]

Here's video of the stave. I understand sapwood is commonly removed before sinew backing yew.

https://youtu.be/AlPKOPvj-j4

What happens if a guy chases a single ring and leaves 3/16" or less of sapwood? Seems like it wouldn't hurt.

[High-Desert]

It’s been done successfully, but it is also known to delam. You would not need to follow a growth ring even if unbacked unless it was a gross violation. I always do my best to relatively follow a ring no matter what. It also looks way better to follow a ring if unbacked.

[Taxus brevifolia]

Ok thank you

[Taxus brevifolia]

So if I understand correctly, there's a feeling that sinew on sapwood is more likely to delam than on heartwood?

[High-Desert]

That’s only what I have read. I figure if I’m going to sinew back it anyway, I’ll just take it down to heartwood and not risk it, unless you want the contrast of sap/heart in a short bow. I know Gordon did a build along yew bow awhile back that he sinew backed sapwood and I don’t think he had issues.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=30667.0

[DC]

I'm going to stick my neck out here. I've never sinewed a Yew bow but this could be one of those cases where a couple of guys had delam problems for whatever reason and spread the word that sinew pulls the sapwood off Yew. After that no one tries it and it becomes common knowledge that it doesn't work. I've worked a lot of Yew and there is no definite line where the sapwood ends and the heartwood begins. Sometimes the sapwood/heartwood line crosses over from one year to the next(grainwise). If I had to pick a wood that may separate it would be Osage or Black Locust with the weak early wood line. There actually has been a few people post about Osage splitting when sinewed but in general Osage is great when sinewed. You've noticed that there wasn't a great flood of answers to your post saying, "Yeah, I left the sapwood on and it delamed."

I hate to give bad advise so this is still up to you. If you want to make a sinewed Yew bow why not wait until you've got a piece of heartwood only Yew. I prize all the belly splits and offcuts to use for backed bows but it would be really tough for me to remove the sapwood from a perfectly good yew stave.
Just my 2 bits worth

[simk]

I wasn't aware of that possible delaming problem - can't really imagine. If you have patience for two weeks you will see the results of my test in my other thread...the bow swap build along thread...
Cheers

[globalmark]

I just want to say
WHERE do you americans get this beautiful straight yew from - no knots , straight and beautiful - i have 200 trees locally the countryside is covered in them here in the UK but not 1 straight branch or trunk , i am so jealous hahaha
best of luck mate

[Taxus brevifolia]

My friend for every stave off straight clear yew I find, I've looked at 200-400 trees that had no potential

Ok I'm leaving on some sapwood and let's see what happens

[Weylin]

I think DC is probably right. There are so many suspect myths about yew wood. It's hard to know what to believe but I agree, it seems hard to imagine the sapwood delaminating with any regularity.

[Taxus brevifolia]

Thanks for weighing in Weylin!

[Bryce]

If it’s gonna delam. It’s gonna do it with or without sinew.