Can't make the big show this year. Darn! I have made it the last 4 years and will really miss seeing friends, stocking up on components, semniars, great deals and getting out of this bitter Iowa winter for a few days. I purchased some nice Birch Bark sheets there the last few years and now I am out. Any suggestions for a good source for'sight-unseen' birch bark conducive to rod handles? Thanks

Steve, I got a big box of canoe scrap from this guy a few yrs ago. Most of it was very workable.
[www.barkcanoe.com]

I have a source for pre cut Birch Bark rings out of China. They are good quality and the source is very dependable. E mail me and I'll send you the info.

Hi Phil:

I too sent you an email if you don't mind sharing your source.

thanks
Harold

Hey Phil,

Would you also share your sorce on the birch bark rings?

Thanks, Marc

Marc, Please email me for info.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/04/2010 06:52PM by Phil Erickson.

I've purchased bark sheets from both barkcanoe.com and the mentioned source in China before,as well as a fellow rodbuilder in Alaska and was very satisfied with all.

Barkcanoe has Siberian bark and a more local species(from Minnesota I think).The Siberian is a little thicker and lighter in color,with less flaws in it,but a bit more expensive.It was pretty good stuff though(bark canoe quality).I purchased a large 2ft x 2ft sheet of Siberian and a pretty large box of scraps which were mostly smaller sized sheets of the local stuff.It ended up being a lot of ring material(a lot more than I expected).Very fair prices as well.

The source from China(can't remember his name at this time) was selling packs of pre cut rings off a certain @#$%& site and the rings were also quite light colored and most were fairly thick,at least as far as birch bark goes.The rings were pretty good quality,the price was very fair,and it really cut out a lot of the labor involved with cutting and prepping the rings.

The source in Alaska also sold me pre cut rings,in fact they came in glued up sections that were about 3" long each.The Alaskan bark is MUCH darker than the others and more of a redish brown color.Again the rings being pre cut and even glued up in shorter sections definitely cuts out a lot of labor.I picked up enough loose rings with them to make sure I can make any length grip I want as well as have trim rings.

I would definitely buy from any of them again and the different colors and thicknesses allows lots of nice custom handle options.

Tony,

I also sent you an email for the link to the resources for both Alaska and China.

Thx!