YEW

[Dafydd ap Llewelyn ap Hyw]

Hello Fellow Bowmen. Could someone kindly give me some advice in splitting a 7 foot chunk of Welsh Yew it is also around 5'' in diameter, but it is not entirely straight. I was thinking maybe its not worth it atall
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Idv5yC1xHX1RyN712MdZxJR7422PTxfd/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GgPY0nIOJuBAfWfTJj2SjUVBbF4kzBiD/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/181p36G81RxNYrDXKlwf5AoHDo52gjKzS/view?usp=sharing

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394437279558?hash=item5bd64b3f46:g:EkwAAOSw4cZj1bG1&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoCOWYQ4kgBaNQAmU5muyIYMQj8XPZC%2F%2FBLDetKl3xl%2Bqv20WqCkuMRtFNBqTG2aJN5ToTv%2FYu%2F6DYHw9%2Fn0LLPU7VR2Cdybjmo9UzIwSa59wqs4WKObJC46bVPgbXipzehmYFk1wilzrHapy4INrR6sRin8yWlg73a%2BBfKUuc7fIcvOFVNjdTlG%2F9F3Rv1t2SKSyhUuLJMvO83IITD7fYgY%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR9ap3ei_YQ

[Aksel]

If you´re not very experienced with this stuff I would let it dry as is and only make 1 bow from the log. When dry: de-bark it and decide which side will be the bows back, then chop away everything which doesn´t look like a bow with the tools of your preference.

[simk]

It's not worth that price, imho. For that price there's straighter ones on the market. Yours probably has a bow or even 2 in it but requieres an experienced bowyer. A few challenges in that piece....
Good luck, whatever you decide to do 🤗

[superdav95]

I agree it seems high and could be a lot of frustration and steep learning curve with those pieces. 

[Hamish]

+ 1. Yep, too pricey for subpar quality.

[Weylin]

I agree. That is not a stave I would pay money for. You'll thank yourself if you keep looking

[Del the cat]

Don't try to split it. You've already had some good advice already... if you want to take off bulk, use a bansaw (or axe).
Aim to get one decent stave, anything else is a bonus. Take your time to choose the cleanest face for the back.
Del

[joachimM]

I really hope you didn't pay that price, but if you did, do as Del says.
And don't get too focused on yew, there's tons of other good bow woods that are easy to find. You can probably get your hands  rather easily on plum, which is an amazing bow wood as well. Straight branches 3-4 cm that offshoot from the lower stem will make great longbows or recurves. 
If you need advice on European bow woods, ask away.