Birch Bark Handle...quite a project!
In response to some handle material discussion in another thread, I thought I'd show off my handiwork.
Here's my first birch bark handle:
The end pieces are a sandwich of cocobolo and briar (the wood I make tobacco pipes from). I have also made a reel seat of briar to go with the handle. I have actually epoxied it on the new butt section already, but have yet to take photos. This photo is the handle still on the mandrel that I used to turn it on the lathe.
The look of the birch bark is great. It is all I hoped for. Even nicer is the feel. I'd describe the feel as somewhere between standard cork and leather.
To make the handle, I ordered a full sheet of bark from a canoe maker. I had to wire brush the gray bark exterior side of the bark to clean off the big irregular chunks. Then I cut the bark with a utility knife into 1.5" squares. Next I drilled 1/4" holes in the middle of the squares, and Gorilla glued the stacked squares on a well waxed length of 1/4" all-thread, using fender washers and wing nuts as a clamping system. (I had to do only 20 squares at a time because of the working time of the glue, and to be able to sufficiently clamp the pieces with enough pressure to assure no gaps.) I then took 3, 20-piece chunks, and the end pieces, and glued up the whole sandwich on all-thread again. I then turned the handle on the lathe. (You can use turning tools on the bark, unlike cork.) In all, it took me about 8 hours over three evenings to make this handle, as well as having some additional chunks for another handle. It was a LOT of work, but I do love the result.
Tyler
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Originally Posted by mhedlund
