Specialty Woods

We supply carving wood and specialty wood...

Yew Wood

Due to its hardness, it was used for shuttles, cogs, axle-trees, and pulley-pins. The colorful wood (red heartwood, white sapwood) was used to veneer furniture, to make lute bodies, bowls, tankards, combs, tool handles, pegs, and various art objects.

It was used in many ways by various religions, and certain yew objects such as drinking-cups are still regarded as having a certain spiritual potency. USES: modern - taxol traditional - bows, tools, paddles, snowshoe frames; the fruit, although considered toxic, was sometimes eaten in small amounts; inner bark: braiding, weaving

With its deep orange brown heartwood Yew has an unusual and distinctive grain. Often used for exceptionally decorative veneers, it is suitable for panelling, and cabinet making. Also yew has a high natural resistance to attack by decay fungi. Botanically a softwood but tough and very dense.

Heartwood colour is golden orange brown streaked with purplish tints, stripes and spots. Sapwood is distinctive off white. Grain is straight but sometimes curly and irregular. Veins, knots, heart shake, ingrown bark all contribute to most attractive figuring. Dries rapidly with little degrade although care is necessary to prevent shakes. Workability Machining easy, Turns well. Finishing Can be polished to a beautiful finish.