Wood/Beetle?

[MattMc]

Hi all, this is a two-pronged question.

First, i'm just wondering if anyone can confirm the wood in these pictures? I've always assumed downy birch but the bark of old branches never seems to catch a spark as well as other birch i've found in England (I live in central Scotland). Hope the pictures help, i can always grab more next time i'm out.

Secondly, the wood had a few beetles in it - not sure what kind but they burrow faster than i can carve though! Turned my cup into a colander chasing one out (pic) :D Do i need to worry that i've brought these into my shed?

All the best,

Matt

EDIT: Spent a whole night on YouTube looking at beetles and i think it's a common furniture beetle. Still not sure if i need to worry - still, kinda wish i hadn't set them free to wander my shed... :confused2:

[FishyFolk]

Birch :-)


Grab that bark and keep with your fire kit, it is wonderfull for fire lighting, and will take a spark form a ferro steel. If it is hard just scrape it with your knife some.

[MattMc]

Birch :-)


Grab that bark and keep with your fire kit, it is wonderfull for fire lighting, and will take a spark form a ferro steel. If it is hard just scrape it with your knife some.

Brilliant - thanks :)

[Woody]

I would say that's downy birch .
Bétula pubensces

Green birch is nice to carve .

Ive never tried the bark of downy birch for fire lighting , as there so much paper and white birch around... Interesting to know is not as effective.
Will have to give that a try...


but can see how the bark is a lot more fractured and not continuous as the betula pendula 's Bark.


As for the beetles i wouldn't worry too much about it just yet .

And good job on the colinder 👍😉

[MattMc]

I would say that's downy birch .
Bétula pubensces

Green birch is nice to carve .

Ive never tried the bark of downy birch for fire lighting , as there so much paper and white birch around... Interesting to know is not as effective.
Will have to give that a try...


but can see how the bark is a lot more fractured and not continuous as the betula pendula 's Bark.


As for the beetles i wouldn't worry too much about it just yet .

And good job on the colinder 👍😉

Thanks Woody,

I've been in the shed all day making a big pile of birch chips. It really [I]is[I] nice to carve! First water-tight cup done :)

[FishyFolk]

I manged to break our dear kitchen spatula, made in the woods while the runt, then age 1 slept in bliss perched in his hammock in the bushes...so a soon as the snow melt is done in a month or too it's off to find my favourite carving wood...juniper, to make a new one. This time with the runt in tow, wearing his own knife :-)

[MattMc]

How'd you get on with the spatula? I've always wanted to go camping somewhere like Norway - that's one lucky 'runt' you have there :D

I managed to finish my first cup and the beetles haven't destroyed my shed - so far....

Thanks all for the help.

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