Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Primitive Skills => Topic started by: DanaM on August 22, 2008, 12:19:26 pm

Title: Birch Bark Canoe
Post by: DanaM on August 22, 2008, 12:19:26 pm
Took these pictures at the fair last week. It was the only sane and normal feeling place at the fair so I hung out
and shot the bull with these two guys. One of them makes baskets and such from ash strips and the other guy makes birch bark conoes.
He uses birch bark, spruce root, pine pitch and northern white cedar thats it entirely natural materials, he does use a steel knife :)
All I had was my phone so the pics may not be the best.

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Title: Re: Birch Bark Canoe
Post by: El Destructo on August 22, 2008, 01:10:49 pm
Pictures look good Dana......brings back a lot of Memories for Me....We had a Birch Bark Canoe when I was a Boy....We used to paddle around on the Dead River Basin and Carp River with it.....and when I was a Tot..we used to play with small ones at the Beach that My Grandfather used to build for Us
Title: Re: Birch Bark Canoe
Post by: cracker on August 22, 2008, 01:11:50 pm
Very cool Dana can't blame a guy for hanging out there. Thanks for sharing.R.C.
Title: Re: Birch Bark Canoe
Post by: Pat B on August 22, 2008, 01:16:03 pm
Thats where I'd be hanging! 8) Cool canoe!...and baskets.     
Title: Re: Birch Bark Canoe
Post by: cowboy on August 22, 2008, 05:31:12 pm
Cool canoe! I've been thinking I might need to build one, but kinda had cedar strips in the back of my mind.
Title: Re: Birch Bark Canoe
Post by: mullet on August 22, 2008, 06:46:48 pm
  That's cool , Dana. Is he the same guy that did the article for PA a few years ago?
Title: Re: Birch Bark Canoe
Post by: Cromm on August 22, 2008, 08:17:31 pm
Had a friend who made one with his Grandad and Dad... Thanks for reminding me of a good guy!!
Title: Re: Birch Bark Canoe
Post by: Marc St Louis on August 22, 2008, 09:03:13 pm
Very nice.  You must have had a good time.

My cousin built a Voyager canoe out of Birch bark a few years ago.  I think it was about 26' long and weighed 400#
Title: Re: Birch Bark Canoe
Post by: DanaM on August 23, 2008, 06:44:37 am
I don't know eddie ??? I got his name and promptly forgot it ::)

He is from Marc's neck of the woods up in Ontario,
Title: Re: Birch Bark Canoe
Post by: Little John on August 23, 2008, 11:06:37 am
Cool technology, I would give any thing to have a chance to learn and build one, thanks for the pics.   Kenneth
Title: Re: Birch Bark Canoe
Post by: ricktrojanowski on August 24, 2008, 07:31:52 am
That canoe is sweet.  Too many things to try to little time.  Where was the fair?
Title: Re: Birch Bark Canoe
Post by: jamie on August 24, 2008, 07:43:27 am
been wanting to build one from elm for years . even have the elm picked out. anybody interested should pick up the book voyage of the ant. written by a friend of mine who has done extensive research into the subject. he has built many. one of his best trips was in upstate new york where they hiked in to hunt . took game and built a fir bark canoe with stone tools and rowed out with the game . awesome looking canoe dana . peace
Title: Re: Birch Bark Canoe
Post by: DanaM on August 24, 2008, 09:43:22 am
Rick it was at the UP State Fair in Escanaba,
jamie I will have to finf that book, would like to try building one when I retire and have the time :)
Title: Re: Birch Bark Canoe
Post by: El Destructo on August 24, 2008, 09:52:55 am
Rick it was at the UP State Fair in Escanaba,
jamie I will have to finf that book, would like to try building one when I retire and have the time :)
Retire......you going to have the Time and Money to do that??? Man......you are sure Lucky.....I'll be working till I die......with the way things have been going here lately........... ;)
Title: Re: Birch Bark Canoe
Post by: DanaM on August 24, 2008, 10:13:18 am
Mike I will retire, I may have to go be a squatter in the woods living in a shack but come hell or high water I refuse to die working :)