My cousin gave me a stick of Yew.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxus_brevifolia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longbow  
Today I cut it up and made a knife handle from it.
The blade was made in China:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HHKTPBK


I ripped the stick into 3 pieces 0.46" thick.
The sapwood has worm holes, but is still very hard wood.


I was narrowing the front of the handle with a little metal bandsaw running slowly. I was pushing hard with my thumbs. When the blade got though the handle I was still pushing hard. If this had been a fast wood bandsaw I would have lost the end of my thumb. Hardly needed a band aid, but it reminds me how dumb that was.



There is a little sapwood on the right butt. There are knots on both sides. But the 1200 grit and True Oil, got it feeling smooth.

The finished product looks good clark. Happy you didnt lose a thumb. Isn't yew what the English used for bows.

Looks nice

Nice handle! Use a push stick next time!!!!

Yew looks good.

I like the swell on the back end. Should help to hang on to it.

How does that Chinese blade hold up? Your finish work looks very good.

I believe it was the go to wood for the longbow.

My cousin that gave me the stick of Yew, said he has many of the trees growing wild on his 5 acres on Bainbridge Island near Seattle. He sells the wood to bow makers that laminate it.

What is True Oil like? Is it a clear finish?

Chinook3

Push sticks! Very important part of any shop with a bandsaw! Lacking that, don't line your fingers up with the blade when pushing the stock into the blade. Have a plan for what you are going to do when something bad happens...

The yew made a nice looking handle.

Looking good Clark. Yew is still used for traditional bows, both in laminated bows and selfbows.