Bought some birch bark from Mark Crouse at the show and look forward to trying it. That got me wondering about bark in general for handles, etc..

Has anyone tried barks other than birch?

There's a lot of old pine trees in the yard with thick pine bark. I'm thinking of giving the inner layers of pine bark a try for the fun of it, but I don't have high hopes for successful results.

Stan

stan i have done a few of the birch handles. i believe other barks can be used as well. i think it will have to be something that is relatively smooth, otherwise you will need a gap filling glue and the handle may end up mostly glue. i have thought of trying some cedar bark as it is available to me. i bet there are all kinds of barks that would work. go play with some and i would llike to see the results.

Stan, I think that Ron Hossack has been using some pine bark on some of his grips I've left a link for you to check out. I think that these pictures are of unfinished wood and it may bee a little hard to fill in the pores of the wood with conventional finishes, but I do like the look of it. Mark

[www.rodbuilding.org]
[www.rodbuilding.org]

P.S. It was very nice meeting you and I was glad you wife was at the reception to keep my wife occupied.

I am curious also. I've got some red pine bark that looks good when first cut but the color fades when finished. I also have some cottonwood that looks promising.

Ron was using inland Douglas Fir bark. Doug Fir in this area tend to grow a little thicker bark for the trees diameter. Bark thickness ratios for Doug Fir run around 7 % to 10% of the trees diameter.

Pine bark varies and tends to fall into scales after it drys out. This is species dependent of course but I can't think of west coast pine species that I think would have the structural stability for a handle in the long haul but I could be wrong.

The true firs would have potential in particular; Grand fir, White Fir, and old growth Shasta Red and Noble Fir as well as Western Hemlock. Young Silver Fir and Noble Fir would have too many pitch pockets I would think. I have been eye balling Red Alder as well.