Finding the Perfect Pliable Evergreen Wood for Your Project

Woodworking projects requiring shaped, flexed, or bent wood often call for specific species known for their workability and flexibility. As an avid hobbyist woodworker and blogger, I’m frequently asked which evergreen trees have the most pliable wood suitable for carving, steam bending, and machining tight curves. Through experience and research, I’ve identified the ideal options whether you’re building furniture, crafting musical instruments, or looking for bow making material.

Yew – The Classic Flexible Evergreen

With its fine straight grains natural elasticity, and ability to compress without splitting, yew (Taxus spp.) has rightfully earned its place as the premier pliable wood species. Its legendary strength stability, and flexibility make it perfect for items like longbows, lute backs, Windsor chair spindles, and decorative carvings. Slow growth and oily resins allow the wood to bend and flex without damage. No wonder yew was the go-to wood for English longbowmen during the Middle Ages!

Supplies have dwindled in modern times but yew remains a highly-prized material for artists carvers, and luthiers seeking to shape intricate curves and lines impossible with more rigid woods. While it can be challenging to source, yew is in a class of its own when your project demands graceful shaping and strength through compression.

Good Alternatives to Yew

While yew retains the gold standard reputation, other evergreen species also provide flexible workable wood:

• Western Redcedar – Its soft lightweight wood possesses excellent compressive strength. The fine straight grain and aromatic scent make it a favorite of carvers looking to hold fine detail.

• Alaska Yellow Cedar – Another great carving choice thanks to its ability to smoothly compress without crumbling when shaped. Maintains stability once carved.

• Redwood – Lightweight and straight-grained, it machines and sands easily. Flexible when green but remains dimensionally stable through drying.

• Pine – Varieties like sugar pine and eastern white pine have long, resinous wood fibers that flex without splitting. Carves and polishes well.

• Basswood – A prime hand carving wood, basswood is easily shaped with fine tools and has an even texture when cut. An excellent choice for beginning carvers.

While not as renowned as yew, these woods bring their own unique bending characteristics that make them suitable alternatives based on workability, availability, and project needs.

Key Factors that Impact Pliable Properties

Beyond species selection, several factors influence the pliability and carving properties of a given wood:

• Growth Rate – Slow growing evergreens have denser, finer grained wood with enhanced flexibility. Faster growing trees tend to be more porous and rigid.

• Moisture Content – Fresh “green” wood with higher moisture is most pliable. Wood stiffens as it dries out through seasoning and kiln drying.

• Heartwood vs Sapwood – The older heartwood is generally less flexible than the younger sapwood layers.

• Defects and Knots – Clear wood free of defects allows for maximum pliability. Damaged areas create weak points and breakage.

• Drying Method – Slow air drying retains more flexibility vs fast kiln drying. The drying process itself reduces bendability.

Understanding these dynamics allows thoughtful wood selection and preparation to achieve optimal pliability for a given project.

Enhancing Pliability Through Processing

Aside from choosing the right species, pliability can also be improved through processing methods like:

• Steaming – Softens lignin prior to bending.

• Boiling – Helps make cells more pliable.

• Bending Forms – Gradual shaping around a form aligns wood grain to the curve.

• Reducing Thickness – Thinner wood sections flex easier than thick stock.

• Grain Orientation – Cutting along the wood grain minimizes breakage when bent.

With testing and practice, these techniques can transform typically rigid wood into dramatically curved shapes.

Items Requiring Flexible Wood

Skilled artisans have relied on bendable evergreen species like yew for centuries to create items such as:

• Longbows and recurve bows
• Guitars, violins, harps, and other musical instruments
• Windsor chair seats and spindles
• Carved walking sticks and canes
• Bentwood furniture and accents
• Custom hand-crafted fishing rods
• Intricately carved utensils, boxes, and kitchenware
• Snowshoes, paddles, and other sporting gear

And many more useful and decorative objects! Whether you’re an aspiring luthier or casual carver, seek out pliable evergreen woods when your project requires graceful shaping and flexing. With practice and care, even woodworking novices can transform rigid stock into flowing, elegant forms.