Yew pens safe to give to people?

[BigDec]

I love turning yew, and how beautiful it looks when it takes a finish. I've made loads of pens for friends with various timbers. Recently I started to worry if the yew pens were a danger although all had received coats of Melanie finish. I started to think what if the person started to suck the end of the pen.

[Bill21]

Interesting thought. You don’t actually expect people to suck on a pen, but if they do I’m sure there are several other woods apart from Yew that might not do you any good.
If I’m allowed you might beg the question on a dedicated Pen Forum such as:
http://www.penturners.co.uk/index.php

[BrianH]

All parts of a yew tree are indeed toxic but I think I'm right in saying an adult would need to actually ingest far more of it than you are putting in your pens to do them any serious harm. Unless someone with more knowledge than me says different I would suggest that a mention to the intended owner would be sufficient.
Brian 

[bodrighywood]

Whilst as said all parts of yew have toxins I think that sucking the end of a pen wouldn't be a prob;em unless gthe person had some sort of serious allergy. I have a bee in my bonnet about using toxic words noprmally but in this case I can't see it being a probem.

Pete

[Les Symonds]

Read this.....https://www.kew.org/read-and-watch/analysis-of-yew-wood

Les

[bodrighywood]

Interestinmg. Those of us who have been stressing caution regarding yew are perhaps not as scaremongering as some think. I still believe it is best to err on the side of caution with any wood that has a potential toxin content.

Pete