FAQ: Is Yew A Hardwood?

Density: English Yew is considered one of the hardest woods of all softwood species. The density of the Yew tends to align more with that of a heavy hardwood. The wood itself is very flexible, yet strong. Yew glues, finishes, and turns well.

Is yew a soft or hardwood?

Yew – (Taxus baccata) An exotic coniferous softwood that is very hard, so you would be forgiven for thinking it was hardwood. The wood was often used for bows because it bends well. Today there is only a limited supply of wide, straight-grained yew.

Is yew an expensive wood?

The wood is too valuable to cut in advance of an order in most cases. The wood is dense, hard and strong. It is naturally resistant to insect and fungi attacks. Because of its rarity, the cost of yew wood is high.

Can yew be used as firewood?

It also is considered a very good wood as it has a slow burn and produces a good level of heat. Yew – (Scientific Name – Taxus Baccata) Slow burn and produces a great, intense heat. Burning yew also produces a pleasant scent, which makes it stand out a little more over other woods.

Is yew wood hard to carve?

Due to Yew’s being a tough but flexible wood, it is best to confine your cuttings to very small shavings made with the grain of the wood. Shave a small amount of Yew from the negative space of the piece that you are carving.

Is yew good for woodworking?

It is possible to use Yew for quality furniture and woodworking projects as if it were a hardwood because Yew is one of the few conifers which has a timber hard and dense enough. Additionally, yew is very stable, thus it doesn’t distort much with moisture content changes.

Why is yew good for bows?

The beauty and strength in yew as a bow wood comes from the sapwood/heartwood combination. Sapwood (the white wood that is on the outside of the tree, just below the bark) excels under tension. It forms the back of the bow and is being stretched. This makes it the ideal belly wood, as it is compacted during the draw.

Why is the yew tree called the tree of death?

The yew tree is another of our native trees which the Druids held sacred in pre-Christian times. Drooping branches of old yew trees can root and form new trunks where they touch the ground. Thus the yew came to symbolise death and resurrection in Celtic culture.

What is yew wood good for?

Uses: English Yew can be used for archery bows, veneers, cabinetry, furniture, carvings, musical instruments (lutes), and turned objects. Availability: English Yew is relatively uncommon. The larger size tree trunks are usually hollow.

Is yew wood toxic?

Allergies/Toxicity: Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, Yew has been reported as a irritant. Additionally, nearly all parts of the Yew tree are considered toxic and poisonous to humans, and care should be exercised when working with this wood species.

What wood is toxic burning?

Burning poison ivy, poison sumac, poison oak, or pretty much anything else with “poison” in the name releases the irritant oil urushiol into the smoke. Breathing it in can cause lung irritation and severe allergic respiratory problems, the Centers for Disease Control state.

How do you split yews?

Splitting Out a Stave

1. Once home the logs should be split into halves using wedges and a small sledge hammer. This allows the logs to split along the longitudinal grain of the wood, and if there is twist, this twist will now show its self.
2. Next the ends should be re cut with a fine bladed saw and a sealer applied.

What type of wood is yew?

Yew may be classified as a softwood, but it is harder and heavier than several of the “hardwoods.” It is tough, strong and resilient, and is suitable for use in bent wood applications. Yew wood was the wood of choice for the bent parts of Windsor chairs.

What is yew wand?

The wand of yew is reputed to endow its possessor with the power of life and death, which might, of course, be said of all wands; and yet yew retains a particularly dark and fearsome reputation in the spheres of duelling and all curses.