European yew is dense, stable, heavy but elastic type of timber. One cubic meter of yew can weigh up to 800 kg. There is a big kernel in this tree and it has thin annular rings. The kernel of this tree is reddish-brown. Sapwood is small, with only 10-20 annual layers.
Yew is very hard to handle on machine tools. It’s crack very hard when it’s drying. However, the cutting tools handle with yew. It is very difficult to permeate yew. Currently, this variety of coniferous timber is rarely used in manufacturing. It is used for making musical instruments and woodcarving.
