Axe Handle Query
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Not sure. I've not heard of Yew being used as an axe handle before. If it is good for bow making because of it's natural elasticity, perhaps that may not be a good thing in an axe handle? I'm sure someone will be along who will know the definative answer.
Altough Yew would look great it wont make a good axe handle.
On some of the yew bows i have made the string can start to cut into the wood after no time at all. This is why the yew bows of old had Horn knocks to protect the wood from the string. I imagine the bit would eventually wear loose as the wood is so soft. Shame realy it would look nice.
On some of the yew bows i have made the string can start to cut into the wood after no time at all. This is why the yew bows of old had Horn knocks to protect the wood from the string. I imagine the bit would eventually wear loose as the wood is so soft. Shame realy it would look nice.
the heart wood of yew is harder than ash, and I don't see anybody complaing about that being too soft?
Use it and see how it works! I've got an axe with birch on the handle,another with oak and yet another in hazel. none have broken yet
ash and hickory are best, but basically anything will work, it's just how long it will work for. Even St Mears was on telly last night making an axe handle from poplar, and that is like loo roll!
Use it and see how it works! I've got an axe with birch on the handle,another with oak and yet another in hazel. none have broken yet
ash and hickory are best, but basically anything will work, it's just how long it will work for. Even St Mears was on telly last night making an axe handle from poplar, and that is like loo roll!
Cheers for help so far.
Couple of things - I thought a handle had to be made from the outside of the wood, so that the growth rings are as parallel as possible, vertical and running the length of the handle. Does it really matter? As has been said - the heart wood of yew is tough old stuff.
Secondly, the axe will only have a short handle - perhaps 16" or so. Won't be used for a lot of heavy cutting - occasionally splitting, and that kind of thing.
Will that make a difference?
Again, all comments gratefully accepted.
Couple of things - I thought a handle had to be made from the outside of the wood, so that the growth rings are as parallel as possible, vertical and running the length of the handle. Does it really matter? As has been said - the heart wood of yew is tough old stuff.
Secondly, the axe will only have a short handle - perhaps 16" or so. Won't be used for a lot of heavy cutting - occasionally splitting, and that kind of thing.
Will that make a difference?
Again, all comments gratefully accepted.
as long as the grain of the wood follows through the length of the handle, then it doesn't really matter wich way it is orientated. having the grain so that it runs inline with the length of the head (ie in the direction of strike) is preferred, but to be honest it makes no difference to those of us that use them: my main forging hammer has a handle that is orientated at 90 degrees to impact and if that won't break then a small axe is not going to have any troubles!
the smaller axe is easier to handle and you have to be even less criticle of grain than a longer felling or splitting axe as there is less force involved
the smaller axe is easier to handle and you have to be even less criticle of grain than a longer felling or splitting axe as there is less force involved
the heart wood of yew is harder than ash, and I don't see anybody complaing about that being too soft?
Use it and see how it works! I've got an axe with birch on the handle,another with oak and yet another in hazel. none have broken yet
ash and hickory are best, but basically anything will work, it's just how long it will work for. Even St Mears was on telly last night making an axe handle from poplar, and that is like loo roll!
I wonder if it matters more about the individual bit of wood. I have some yew here that i can easily dent with my thumb nail and some ash thats much harder. I have only had to replace one axe handle and as ash is so abundant i didnt try anything else.
It would look nice..
EDIT. Just looking through some other bits and against instinct i have some goat willow thats harder than the wych elm...
Yew has been used for tool handles for a very long time mate, but it became rarer to see as the numbers of Yew dwindled through the centuries. Obviously with it being a favourite for making bows it's been quite a prized beastie over the years.
I would imagine that the qualities that made it good as a bow could be used in your favour. Dave and the other guys have mentioned that the heartwood is pretty hard, the sap wood on the other hand can be quite soft.
The heartwood is highly resistant to compression (hence the favoured place was the belly of a bow) where as the limbs / back of the bow required a level of elasticity and for this the sapwood was used.
I would think that if you are using the harder heartwood (darker in colour in general) then there should be no problem.
I would imagine that the qualities that made it good as a bow could be used in your favour. Dave and the other guys have mentioned that the heartwood is pretty hard, the sap wood on the other hand can be quite soft.
The heartwood is highly resistant to compression (hence the favoured place was the belly of a bow) where as the limbs / back of the bow required a level of elasticity and for this the sapwood was used.
I would think that if you are using the harder heartwood (darker in colour in general) then there should be no problem.
i think it would work but imo the sapwood would be better because hearwood is more brittle which is exactly what you dont want in an axe handle.
pete
pete
well, the famous axe of oetzi the icemummy was yew as well- a section of trunk with a sidebranch sticking out at ca. 90degress if i remember correctly
Yew a softwood?
Its one of the hardest and most durable woods in the uk
As to it being used as an axe handle, yes you can use it, but its not as good as ash, also grain allignment is critical. Get that wrong and it will break easily. The grain should run front to back, not side to side.
The definition of a hardwood is something that produces a seed with a covering (angiosperm), trees that release uncovered seeds (gymnosperm) are softwoods. Its really nothing to do with wood density
After i asked the question i dug out a book i have called "Wood, Identification and use" by Terry Porter. In here it defines the hardwood/softwood totally different to what you said Red.
In here it says that hardwood and softwood are defined by their cell structures. Softwood having 2 types of cell and hardwood having 4 types
Also, if hardwoods produce seeds with a covering then Yew should be a hardwood as the seed is within a berry. Birch is a hardwood, yet its seeds aren't covered. Same with Oak, Ash, Sycamore for example
I'm confused lol
In here it says that hardwood and softwood are defined by their cell structures. Softwood having 2 types of cell and hardwood having 4 types
Also, if hardwoods produce seeds with a covering then Yew should be a hardwood as the seed is within a berry. Birch is a hardwood, yet its seeds aren't covered. Same with Oak, Ash, Sycamore for example
I'm confused lol
Think they are covered - sycamore wingy thing isn't actually the seed - the acorn has a hard cover too. I take your point on the yew berry though - although the seed does sort of poke out.
I confess I'm not an expert but researched it once cos I was equally confused.
This seems to say something broadly similar
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/genetic/question598.htm
Hopefully someone can give us a conclusie answer!
Red
I confess I'm not an expert but researched it once cos I was equally confused.
This seems to say something broadly similar
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/genetic/question598.htm
Hopefully someone can give us a conclusie answer!
Red
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