Birch bark knife handle

[Janne]

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[Robson Valley]

I wanted to know how to add birch bark inlay to western red cedar carvings if/when I wanted to.
Titebond, Gorilla, epoxy, JB Quikweld and whatever the carpenter's wood glue there was on my shelf.

Tried them all. Waited 48 hrs and then tried to pick the bark off with my fingernail.
a) the bark is really soft. Too waxy for epoxy to stick? Not sure.
b) the carpenter's glue was better than anything else.
Especially really narrow/thin places.

What will you do with the BB? stacked rings or wrapping?

 

[Janne]

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[Macaroon]

Read this:

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=80014

 

[Robson Valley]

Just remember that the birch bark that you will find in Britain and Europe is nowhere nearly as easily worked as the birch bark from Canada.
If the tree is already down for fire wood/lumber, OK. I can't justify stripping a living tree. Some people can, not me.

 

[SGL70]

I am not 100% sure, but I don't think you need glue. I got a link somewhere....

Greger

 

[Stew]

I thought I do one blade stacked compressed and glued.
I also bought a Lammi 85 Convex, that one I thought I first do a cylindrical wood handle (glued) to even out the tang, then wrap it in several layers with the bark.

I will try to do a full Reindeer antler knife with one of the Yakutian blades, with thin stacked bark in some areas as a esthetic touch.

The rest in different woods, both what I can in in Norway and locally.

I have my eyes on a burl on a SeaGrape tree... and a couple of roots on the same tree........

A birch bark handle is lovely!

I did one a while back and did the oven glue method - I was really impressed with how well the layers stuck!
http://www.stewartjlight-knives.com/2014/06/a-stacked-birch-bark-knife.html

I'm looking forward to the time I can make one for me to use.

If I'm honest, I'm dubious as to how well your cylinder wrapped one will work, though the proof is in the pudding! I would be interested to see the result even if it's unsuccessfu.

 

[SGL70]

Found it: https://nordiskaknivar.wordpress.com/2012/08/07/pekka-tuominen-birch-bark-handle-22-2/

This guy don't use glue

 

[Janne]

Just remember that the birch bark that you will find in Britain and Europe is nowhere nearly as easily worked as the birch bark from Canada.
If the tree is already down for fire wood/lumber, OK. I can't justify stripping a living tree. Some people can, not me.[/QUOTE

 

[Janne]

Found it: https://nordiskaknivar.wordpress.com/2012/08/07/pekka-tuominen-birch-bark-handle-22-2/

This guy don't use glue[/QUOTE

 

[Janne]

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[SGL70]

This could be an alternative source: http://brisa.fi/handle-materials/other/birch-bark-birkenrinde-kg.html

No affiliation etc

 

[Janne]

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[Janne]

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[Stew]

But is it a such good idea to put the blade in the oven? Risk of over tembering the blade, lessening the hardening?

I will try it, but will make a metal model of the tang I will use in the oven.

The temperature for the bark is much lower than the tempering temperature.

 

[Janne]

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[brancho]

I have made them without glue though I did have one come loose but was not compressed enough and some of the pieces were not tight enough on the tang I sorted it though.

Here is a WIP on the first stacked birch handle I made it had no glue.

http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?111712-Stacked-Birch-bark-handle-and-sheath-WIP