Yew
Also called: taxus
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Yew is a springy, durable timber used for longbows, bent furniture parts and light rustic work.
A wood for shaped work
Yew was the traditional wood of the English longbow, and it has also been used for earlier bows and spears. Furniture makers have used it for bent parts, including components of Windsor chairs. The timber responds well to steam bending when a curved form is needed.
Strength has limits
Yew is not especially stiff and handles sudden shocks poorly; its resistance to crushing and bending is middling. It can therefore be springy and durable without being right for every heavily loaded or impact-prone part. Its durability is an established quality, but the whole set of properties still needs to be matched to the job.
Prepare rustic stock
Yew is among the woods used for light rustic work such as sticks. Material for this work should be cut in the proper season and thoroughly dried before it is worked.