I have just made a few birch whisks. They are quite simple to make. First peal the bark from a bunch (30 or so is about right) birch shoots (i.e. the small side-shoots only a year or so old) using a cleft stick. Then form them into two even bundles:
Place them "end to end", with the bases just overlapping.
Make a fine birch withy and tie around the overlapping bases, and then proceed totwist them into the proper orientation:
Tie off around the bunch to hold them together using a second withy, also forming a handle. Make a removeable ring from a third withy to keep the ends from getting messed up in storage. One can even wrap the free end with string while it dries. Finally trim the ends (an axe is perfect for this) and you are done:
In use remove the loose ring, of course.
Place them "end to end", with the bases just overlapping.
Make a fine birch withy and tie around the overlapping bases, and then proceed totwist them into the proper orientation:
Tie off around the bunch to hold them together using a second withy, also forming a handle. Make a removeable ring from a third withy to keep the ends from getting messed up in storage. One can even wrap the free end with string while it dries. Finally trim the ends (an axe is perfect for this) and you are done:
In use remove the loose ring, of course.
