Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Primitive Skills => Topic started by: Hunts with stone on March 11, 2013, 09:00:43 pm
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I got around to making two Batches of birch bark oil. Some i'll use to treat bows and the rest will be made into pitch for halfting.(http://i1068.photobucket.com/albums/u455/Tris_Smith/knapping/A1F4B3A5-7B54-4B8B-9D39-9643B695BC41-4677-00000A13D42C6D86_zps52c4098e.jpg)
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COOL! Now you gotta tell (and show) us how! ;)
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Al righty then here goes. I got a large can from a Restaurant dumpster no lid. Get a smaller can soup can works good. Thake white paper birch bark cut it in strips that come almost to top. Stack and roll to fit. But first put a 1/4" hole in the center bottom of the big can. Fill it up but do not cover the drain hole. Take Heavy aluminum foil folded it three times and seal the top can. Make a fire ring on ground place small can in a hole cover it on all sides flush with ground. Be carfull and keep this can clean. Place big can on top so drain hole is over the other one. Scape some LOSE dirt around the bottom to make a seal. Try to get it all pretty level. Also you'll need sometimg to put over the tin foil like a steel sheet of any kind so the foil does'nt get a hole in it. And use the all tin cans!!! Start a fire around and over it burn a small fire on it for 2 hours letting it burn down. And wall laa you did it. You can use the oil as is or cook it down for glue.
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thats great... that looks like a good supply too.
wished i knew of another tree besides birch (native to this area) that one might do the same thing with...
anyone have any luck using other bark?
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That's cool. I was watching a youtube about making that just the other night.
Like to try that some time if I can find some trees.
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I know river birch (Betula niger) has similar bark but it exfoliates more. I know river birch makes good fire starter so it must have adequate amounts of pitch in it too. River birches are a more Southern variety where paper birch is Northern.
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I know river birch (Betula niger) has similar bark but it exfoliates more. I know river birch makes good fire starter so it must have adequate amounts of pitch in it too. River birches are a more Southern variety where paper birch is Northern.
. Give it a try and let us know how it works out.