There's definitely a good bow in this

[PatM]

Sure.... Not making much sense there pat. I’m talking about the stave in the picture. Nobody said anything about heartwood bows or whatever. If you look at that stave it’s 2/3rds sapwood which is garbage when it comes to compression. Yeah he can take the sapwood down but then that all around less wood to work with. Being 1/3rd heartwood there is gonna be more that usual amount a string follow Bc the proportions are off.
Now, that being said, yeah it’ll make a bow. Now compared to a bow with the proper ratios and dimension they’re going to be entirely different shooting bows performance wise. Granted it’s a good stave to learn on.

If it where mine I would definitely decrown and try and make it as narrow as it would let me.

 Even though I didn't make sense you figured it out perfectly in the end. 

[Bryce]

Sure.... Not making much sense there pat. I’m talking about the stave in the picture. Nobody said anything about heartwood bows or whatever. If you look at that stave it’s 2/3rds sapwood which is garbage when it comes to compression. Yeah he can take the sapwood down but then that all around less wood to work with. Being 1/3rd heartwood there is gonna be more that usual amount a string follow Bc the proportions are off.
Now, that being said, yeah it’ll make a bow. Now compared to a bow with the proper ratios and dimension they’re going to be entirely different shooting bows performance wise. Granted it’s a good stave to learn on.

If it where mine I would definitely decrown and try and make it as narrow as it would let me.

 Even though I didn't make sense you figured it out perfectly in the end. 

Oh well good:) must be my Jedi powers maturing.

[High-Desert]

You only need a very little amount of heartwood to prevent string follow. Even sapwood showing up on the belly edges is no big deal. Although they are not as eye appealing as a bow with the "proper ratio", bows that are majority sapwood, come in very light in physical weight and take no set.

[Bryce]

You only need a very little amount of heartwood to prevent string follow. Even sapwood showing up on the belly edges is no big deal. Although they are not as eye appealing as a bow with the "proper ratio", bows that are majority sapwood, come in very light in physical weight and take no set.

Sorry bud, but that’s not true at all.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I have made maybe a dozen yew bows, less than a few of you for certain. I have to agree. The less sapwood and more heartwood off the stump is no doubt better in the end. I just finished a 70" ELB'ish style bow. It started as a dead flat stave and now follows the string 1.5", too much for my numbers and too much for the time I took tillering. The ratio is about 1:1 on the finished bow. Great bow, but not as zippy as it should or could be.

[High-Desert]

Not saying you guys are wrong, Maybe style makes a difference, but I just finished a flat bow, that nearly has sapwood showing through, 65lbs @ 27, and has taken no to very little set, and weighs 18oz. That has just been my experience with it. I haven't chrono'd it, so maybe the differnece will show up there.

[wizardgoat]

Every yew stave is different, and all our experiences vary as well.
I’ve made 50-60 yew bows, and have made some sapling bows where there
was more sapwood than heartwood.  I save those staves for lightweight bows
and they always make good bows. The draw weight prevents set, so design your bow for the stave you have.  Without a doubt, yew heartwood is the true magic,

[Taxus brevifolia]

That one side has the denser/thinner sapwood, I thought I might try making that the back

[Bryce]

The side with the tighter rings is 99% most likely the tension side of the stave. You’ll want that to be the back of your bow. Otherwise you’ll end up with a dog in comparison.

[DC]

And the sapwood it thinner there so you might not have to reduce it. Nice natural back.

[Taxus brevifolia]

Back, yes I meant back. Sorry.  I thought I'd get the thinner/denser sapwood on the back, for doing what sapwood does, and then there's plenty of heartwood for the belly including the densest heartwood.  Or this was my thinking anyway.