quick question about making birch tar

[Baelfore]

Hey all,

A few weeks ago someone posted a great example of making birch tar and that with the comments following it, and the ray mears episode in Belarus, I fancy giving it a go.

I have a big ol' ziploc bag of bark, but am not sure if its the right type for this.



It's the thick stuff from around the end of a dead fallen silver birch tree.

Can this stuff be used or does it have to be the papery(?) bit of the bark?

Any other things I should know?

Thanks in advance,

Regards,
Baelfore

 

[Mesquite]

Looks like you've got the bark with some of the rotten wood attached still.

You want to scrape the old wood off until you just have the bark and use that