Yew

[BushBob]

Evening All,

I've just got some yew wood to burn on the fire. I thought I might carve a bit of it. I know that yew berries are poisonous. What's the situation with the rest of the tree? Is it a no no for spoons and other food items?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Bob

 

[TallTom]

All of it is poisonous, wash those hands too, definitely not for spoons carving.

At least you asked first

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[TallTom]

Oh and funny enough I belive the berry is actually the only edible part, as long as yew dont eat the seed, just the fleshy red bit.... p.s. I do not advise doing so before proper research

Edit: found a link to a thread about the berries http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45845

 

[Blundstoned Love]

It's not a berry - it's an aril.

I'll get me coat

And by coat I mean horticultural trainspotter-type anorak.

 

[TallTom]

I didnt want to get into specifics but a fair point.

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[chimpy leon]

Yew berries are edible and very sweet but the stone contains cyanide. The foliage is poisonous. The wood is supposed to be poisonous but to a much lesser extent than the foliage. I have worked yew without a mask and suffered no ill effects. Never used it to around food though.

 

[TallTom]

If we are going to talk specifics the toxin is Taxine not cyanide.

*gets coat*

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[dwardo]

We need Robin to step in here but as far as I am aware only the leaves, bark and stones are "poisonous" and the toxicity varies greatly from tree to tree.
Saw dust has irritated me in the past but no more than cherry or any other wood, more a case of me being daft and sanding wood in doors with no mask on.

Wont quote the man but if I remember correctly there were various serving items spoons, plates, knives made from yew with no effects once cured and dried.

Either way I have been working the stuff for years now and I am ,,asd,a,sd,sssssss,:yikes::sadwavey:

Might be best not to eat the timber just incase

 

[xylaria]

Yew is fine to carve although challenging. The toxins arent very soluble in water at all, a bit more soluble in ethanol and very soluble in meths. So unless you drink meths or chew and swollow what you carve the chance of getting poisoned will be slim. The toxicity of yew has been debated for carved utensils on here. yes yew wood contains toxins if eaten, the toxins hardly leach and nobody chews wood.

Trust me there arenplently of beautiful carved bowls and spoons out there which get used for years without anyones heart even skipping a beat.
I would not burn it is the smoke it gives off is extremely acrid.

 

[atlatlman]

Oh and funny enough I belive the berry is actually the only edible part, as long as yew dont eat the seed, just the fleshy red bit.... p.s. I do not advise doing so before proper research

Edit: found a link to a thread about the berries http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45845

I also heard that a few years back. One guy on TV ate one and spat the seed out.

 

[eddieb]

Yes the whole tree is poisonous apart from the flesh of the fruit. I believe the poison is nerve agent strongest when you make a tea from the leaves I read somewhere apparently, but I'm going at a guess (don't trust me) but days of boiling the dried wood in water and replacing the water should do the job, but personally it's not worth the risk. It wouldn't kill you as it wouldn't be concentrated enough but it probably make ya have some potentially dangerous problems. But might aswell practice with it or whatever yew is a lovely looking wood, would like to see what you make in the end if you could post a picture

 

[Harvestman]

If you want to carve a spoon out oif it, go ahead. It will look great. Feel free to use it too. Just don't eat the spoon.

 

[Toddy]

I have a quaich made from Yew, and it gets used, and no one's been killed yet by it

It's one of those odd ones; I think Dwardo has the right of it, tbh. It's been used for millenia for carving as well as for bows.
One of my favourite seasonal treats; I'm very fond of the juicy red flesh of the arial.
Just mind and spit the seed out, and not eat anything else of the tree.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Yew also has the wonderful beneficial feature of (at least when delivered vocally), of confusing grammar pedants.

"Yew is poisonous"
"I think you mean yew are poisonous"

Sorry this adds nothing to your discussion of it's toxicity. I'll get my coat.

J

 

[xylaria]

Taxines are alkaloids. There are calcium and sodium channel blockers and cause the potassium levels jn the blood to go squiffy. In simple terms it causes your blood chemistry to stuff up and the nerves to the heart and brain to miss fire. Taxine is soluble in water at 2.5mg per litre. The approximate toxicity required to kill half a cage of laboratory rodents is 22mg per kilo body wieght. That is 10 times to concentration if yew chip is left to stand in water.

Yew is safe if you are worried soak in meths and disguard the liquid. The dust can cuase issues.

 

[Demonwolf444]

Yew dust from working on bows in the past has wiped me out like a bad hangover for two days. As others have said it varies from tree to tree, the last three i made i had no issues; but the first yew bow i worked on was wicked.

 

[John Fenna]

Yew also has the wonderful beneficial feature of (at least when delivered vocally), of confusing grammar pedants.

"Yew is poisonous"
"I think you mean yew are poisonous"

Sorry this adds nothing to your discussion of it's toxicity. I'll get my coat.

J

It may not add to the discussion - but I like it

 

[John Fenna]

I have a quaich made from Yew, and it gets used, and no one's been killed yet by it

It's one of those odd ones; I think Dwardo has the right of it, tbh. It's been used for millenia for carving as well as for bows.
One of my favourite seasonal treats; I'm very fond of the juicy red flesh of the arial.
Just mind and spit the seed out, and not eat anything else of the tree.

cheers,
Toddy

To me it just seemed like sweet mucus.... saccharine snot if you will ....

 

[Toddy]

Eh ? it's like the flesh of a soft grape with the skin off It's just yew

Saccharine snot I hate artificial sweetners; they always leave a fake taste in my mouth for hours, even diet Coke tastes weird afterwards. Low cal Irn Bru's worse and I like Irn Bru.

atb,
M

 

[BushBob]

Thanks for your advice on this. I think I'll carve something none food related with it.

It was only cut down yesterday, so will need a bit of seasoning.

Thanks,

Bob