Woody Question
- Thread starter durulz
- Start date
I believe the wood is not poisonous IIRC it is just the foliage & the fruit pits that are.
I've made some handles with Yew & it takes a lovely finish & a toffee like translucency when soaked in oil.
I've made some handles with Yew & it takes a lovely finish & a toffee like translucency when soaked in oil.
the poison is found in all parts of Yew except for the fleshy fruit( the red bit) the seed in side has poison
I know people who have made & used Yew spoons with no ill effect but better steer clear in light of the facts I guess.
I've got a Yew quaich (Scottish drinking bowl with two handles, for sharing ) and according to the woodturners who made it the wood is perfectly safe to drink from. Hope they're right, we've been using it at Meets 
cheers,
Toddy
cheers,
Toddy
Mmm...what a dilemma. You see, my thought was that once the wood had dried out then most of the sap (presumably the main toxin carrier) would be gone. Mmm...
I could make one from yew anyway, knowing too full well that the first attempt always goes wrong anyway...
I could make one from yew anyway, knowing too full well that the first attempt always goes wrong anyway...
Make it and get someone you don't like to test it out for you. Either way you'll know weather or not its safe eh?
robin wood
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
There is no question taxin, the toxin in yew is found in the wood and it is quite nasty, ever wondered why a yew post lasts so long in the ground? It is in the wood not just the sap so drying makes little difference, now when you drink from it how much taxin are you going to absorb? I can't tell you perhaps more if you use your quaich for whisky?
My take on it is I would be quite happy eating from a yew spoon myself but I do not make yew items for sale and the woodturners who made your quaich Toddy would be on pretty dodgy ground if you started showing symptoms of taxin poisoning.
My take on it is I would be quite happy eating from a yew spoon myself but I do not make yew items for sale and the woodturners who made your quaich Toddy would be on pretty dodgy ground if you started showing symptoms of taxin poisoning.
robin wood
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
I made my first Kuska out of a Rowen tree that came down a year or so ago. Made a shed load of new spoons as well!
I was always led to believe that the Yew was one of the most toxic plants on the planet.
This quote:
"Even the dust of yew wood can be toxic; anyone working with yew should ensure the area is well ventilated and wear a respirator."
comes from this site: http://biology.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_survival_of_yew_trees_in_britain
I've made bowls in yew in the past but they tended to be for decorative rather than functional purposes.
This quote:
"Even the dust of yew wood can be toxic; anyone working with yew should ensure the area is well ventilated and wear a respirator."
comes from this site: http://biology.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_survival_of_yew_trees_in_britain
I've made bowls in yew in the past but they tended to be for decorative rather than functional purposes.
I've just spent the day turning Yew. I also have two teaspoons I've carved from Yew and use quite the thing.
The dust does mean you need a mask when turning it, it gets everywhere!!
The dust does mean you need a mask when turning it, it gets everywhere!!
The link I put up earlier clearly states that Yew wood is toxic and an irritant and causes cancer...
w00dsmoke you are correct as is Robin.
The guy that taught me most about woodturning had been turning the stuff for the majority of his working life, he died of throat cancer.
It will take a long time to be affected by the Yew wood unless you are susceptible to it, however it will harm you, eventually.
Personally I think Yew is best suited to bow making as opposed to bowl making ;-)
The guy that taught me most about woodturning had been turning the stuff for the majority of his working life, he died of throat cancer.
It will take a long time to be affected by the Yew wood unless you are susceptible to it, however it will harm you, eventually.
Personally I think Yew is best suited to bow making as opposed to bowl making ;-)
Hi,
this is my first post and my english is not perfect but I hope understandable.
I have been taught that Yew is seriously poison even small green branch eaten by adult person can kill him. Few years ago I was in Ukraine.
The guide told us in Crimean botanic garden that there was the way of making poisonous wine by leaving it in bowl made from Yew in old tzar Russia. Wine had not change the tast and poisoned dead person had no signs that poison had been used.
Cheers,
Nothria
this is my first post and my english is not perfect but I hope understandable.
I have been taught that Yew is seriously poison even small green branch eaten by adult person can kill him. Few years ago I was in Ukraine.
The guide told us in Crimean botanic garden that there was the way of making poisonous wine by leaving it in bowl made from Yew in old tzar Russia. Wine had not change the tast and poisoned dead person had no signs that poison had been used.
Cheers,
Nothria
