Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Justynwithay on June 13, 2023, 07:25:05 pm
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I have heard not to use dry heat when bending pacific yew because it becomes brittle and to only use steam or boil.
Does anyone else have an opinion on the matter?
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I'm not a yew expert, but I have a yew stave I've been working on and corrected the tip alignment with a heat gun without issue.
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I heat a little reflex, fix twist with dry heat, on yew and haven't had a problem. Enough guys have reported problems with yew blowing up in tension after dry heat, for me to be cautious.
I would let the yew rehydrate for at least 1 week, preferably longer, just for safety, before continuing tillering or shooting.
Yew doesn't like a really low moisture content, it can blow, in arid and cold climates. I suspect this is the cause rather than the heat by itself.
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I heat a little reflex, fix twist with dry heat, on yew and haven't had a problem. Enough guys have reported problems with yew blowing up in tension after dry heat, for me to be cautious.
I would let the yew rehydrate for at least 1 week, preferably longer, just for safety, before continuing tillering or shooting.
Yew doesn't like a really low moisture content, it can blow, in arid and cold climates. I suspect this is the cause rather than the heat by itself.
Plus 1 for what hamish said.
Also consider oil and heat for corrections. I find it helps to fix twist in limbs and can be used for flipped tips even. Oil gets down into wood deeper for penetrating the heat into the wood.
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I only use dry heat on yew. Boiling/steaming will dry the wood as much, or more, than dry heat will. I even temper my yew bows with no issues.
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I use both dry heat and steam, no problem ... but I don't allow dry heat onto the sapwood!
So for general bending I use steam, where the steam gets to back and belly. Heat treating or say a bit of reflex or flipped tip, dry heat on the belly but with thin slats clamped to the sides to stop the heat getting to the sapwood back.
This V short vid shows what I mean:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM1_A2A0_TI
Del