Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Cave Men only "Oooga Booga" => Topic started by: swamp monkey on July 03, 2014, 11:06:37 pm
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Anyone ever experiment with different pine species for making pitch? I wonder if all pine species are created equal?
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I've used red and white and they seem the same. No scientific testing, just casual observation. Pitch from other trees are very different though. Spruce seems to be softer and more gooey, sticky. Balsam as we'll . Cherry just goes like sponge toffee when heated . No structure, but smells wonderful! I'll try to pay more attention from now on . Thanks for planting the seed. Sometimes you just need to hear the question .
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I've tried Eastern White, Western White, Ponderosa, Longleaf, and Loblolly. All very similar when melted and processed. The colors are slightly different, but the color can be different within the same species too.
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Pinyon pine sap works great! That's what was traditionally used here. It also smells great and makes a great medicine for dry, cracked skins and minor cuts, burns, and wounds.
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I've only used Longleaf pine. Tried grapefruit but it stays like putty.
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I've used different types and it all seems to work the same. There is slight difference in smell with incent grade pinion pine smelling the best. I got some in trade a few years ago.
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I collected sap from white pine, jack pine, short leaf pine and some kind of fir. Each was different in consistency but the resulting pitch seemed just fine.
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I've pretty much stuck with ponderosa, as we have so much of it here in the Oregon high desert. Are you folks melting, screening and mixing with powdered charcoal? If not, how are you processing your pitch?
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Bill, I cooked it until it melted then added ground charcoal and ground elk dung.
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Ground elk poop. I knew I was forgetting a key ingredient. Actually, I can collect mule deer pellets right in my yard ...
;)
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I tried the sticky juice of osage oranges/horse apples and it cooked down to gravy, not even sticky.
WA