Birch Bark Stacked Handle - Thickness of bark

[polaskij]

Please let me know if this, my first post, is in the wrong place.

I have a lot of birch bark, but it is the very thin outermost layer that sheds by itself. No under-layer (called cambium?). It certainly is less than 1mm thick. I almost collected thicker bark, but it was old firewood and the next layer down was very dry and cumbly. It literally fell apart.

Can I use the very thin outer layer to stack a knife handle? I know that would be a lot of layers, but would it work?

Advice appreciated.

 

[pjackst]

Get a cheapo stick tang to give it a crack on and let us know what you find!

 

[Bill Hoffman]

From what I've read about making a birch bark handle, you use the thicker
full bark and actually remove the thin white surficial bark. It apparently
won't let the bark layers stick together when you heat the completed handle.
Warm birch bark exudes some kind of sticky stuff which glues the layers together.

Having written this, I've never made a bark handle on my own but my research
indicates that the first paragraph is correct. If it's not, I'm certain somebody
will let us know.

 

[Bill Hoffman]

duplicate post

 

[pjackst]

^I think its called betulin. Its the tar. Lovely, beautiful stuff