Author Topic: Birch bark backing  (Read 14751 times)

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Offline Orrum

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Re: Birch bark backing
« Reply #45 on: October 24, 2016, 10:07:21 pm »
I put Tru Oil on Muscatine grape tomahawk handles. It keeps it from flaking.
Knapping....If your hobby does not consume you then you have no hobby.

Offline sleek

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Re: Birch bark backing
« Reply #46 on: October 25, 2016, 04:25:15 pm »


One coat tru oil.
Tread softly and carry a bent stick.

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Offline sleek

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Re: Birch bark backing
« Reply #47 on: October 25, 2016, 04:26:01 pm »
Tread softly and carry a bent stick.

Dont seek your happiness through the approval of others

Offline Marc St Louis

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Re: Birch bark backing
« Reply #48 on: October 25, 2016, 05:27:36 pm »
Looks good.

I haven't used Birch bark for several years but when I did harvest some bark I took it from large trees that would do 1 entire limb from handle to tip, I think at least a 12" tree is what you need.  I have cut many Paper Birch trees and I can tell you that they don't all have bark suitable for backings or canoes.  Some trees have thin bark that is brittle and some trees with thick bark that is flexible, the thick bark can be more than 1/8" thick.  The brittle bark you can actually tear fairly easily across the grain but the thick flexible bark refuses to tear even when it's thin, it just stretches.
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