Hello, I don't know much about yew selfbows but a friend has requested my help.  She's recently cut a yew log and carried it back from B.C. now she needs help splitting her little jewell!!  

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, I intent to help her with it tomorrow.  I have a chainsaw, skillsaw,drawknfe, sledge hammer, 2 steel wedges and an ax or two.

-Should I start the split with a saw?
-Should I split from the center outwards or from the ends-which end?
-Should the bark be removed now or later.

Thanks for your suggestions

The chef

I would split the log at least in half and seal the ends. Don't remove the bark. If the log is straight with few or no limbs, start at one end with a wedge and work down the log until it is in half.
  Do you know how big the log is? length and diameter.

   


   
 
 

It's about 6" in diameter and 60"long.  I think it's a little short but she'll have to work with what she has.

You can probably quarter the log but that would depend on the log. 60" should be OK if she takes it easy.
John, that looks like a nice yew log you have there. Except for a bit of twist it looks pretty clear.