Birch Bark Hip Flask

[Adam Savage]

I recently saw a video on youtube, by Sean Mulhall (aka silver fox bushcraft) of making a birch bark hip flask. It's a good video and Sean is great at this kind of stuff, so I decided to give it a go.

My video isn't as good as his, but I'm quite pleased with the end result.

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/projects%20and%20equipment/070920111008.jpg

http://i1024.photobucket.com/albums/y304/crazysaint22/projects%20and%20equipment/070920111009.jpg

The video is awaiting approval, as it is a video response, but I will post it up ASAP.

Here's Seans video anyway.

Part 1


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSNFs_00GBY

Part 2


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnO-Zxnmk5I

[rich290185]

cool i collect hip flasks, never seen anything like this will give it a go!

thanks crazy.:D

[Adam Savage]

No worries Rich.

Here's my vid, for what it's worth lol.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bnf3BBj0KCg

[rich290185]

looks good mate

[Adam Savage]

Thanks Rich. Just finished waxing it, so looks a little move even and tidy now.

[Metal mug]

Was that the flask you took on the Dartmoor walk Adam?

[Adam Savage]

Yes indeed. It still smells of brandy lol.

[rich290185]

lol im more of a whisky man!

[Adam Savage]

If it's JD or Southern Comfort, then I'd agree. I'm not too keen on the homegrown varieties...well, not until I've had a few of the others first lol.
I had some Napoleon left over so packed it with my hand rolled Hamlett for completion, although I ended up drinking it when we stopped to set up camp.

[Metal mug]

If it's JD or Southern Comfort, then I'd agree. I'm not too keen on the homegrown varieties...well, not until I've had a few of the others first lol.
I had some Napoleon left over so packed it with my hand rolled Hamlett for completion, although I ended up drinking it when we stopped to set up camp.Well to be fair on you, your knee was quite swollen. Ouch.

[Blu]

Nice idea. I've got a small flask that someone gave me as a present, unfortunately they didn't know i don't drink, so now i have found a use for it. Good video as well by the way.

[Adam Savage]

Thanks Blu. Just passing on knowledge and ideas from others here, but someones got to get these ideas about I guess :)

Adam

[Blu]

Just a quick question with regards to Birch Bark, are the any restrictions on gathering it, i.e. is it ok to take it from say a public park. And does/should the tree be fallen/felled naturally or by other means.

[Adam Savage]

Officially, nothing can be taken from a location, without the landowners permission, including council or government owned land. It would be irresponsible for me to say something like..."what they don't know, won't hurt them", or.."it's ok unless you get caught", but many people tend to take this attitude.
As far as when to gather birch bark, many birch "shed" their bark (or at least parts of it) during the year. If you need to use more than your bare hands, then it should not be removed. Never "ring" the tree, as in take a continuous piece of bark, from all the way around the circumference of the tree. Even fallen or felled trees are habitats to wildlife, from insects to bacteria. I took my bark from a wind fallen tree, that was being disposed of, as they were clearing a track through a wood. Basically, I believe it is ok to collect birch bark, as long as you use a little common sense and leave the majority for mother nature.

Hope that is of some use to you Blu.

Adam

[CanadianMike]

That Sean is a clever guy. He and I were chatting the other day on Facebook, asked him what ideas he could come up with for my 'strong magnet in a knife sheath', came up with the usual "Carry needles, magnetise, find if dropped, knife retention", etc. and I pointed being able to retrieve your knife if dropped, blah, blah, then he actually said "set it up with some copper wire ad make a small power source from it"........ so I thought a great idea, and told him to go for it, would love to see him do something like that, even just enough to trickle charge a cell phone or whatever.

[Blu]

Officially, nothing can be taken from a location, without the landowners permission, including council or government owned land. It would be irresponsible for me to say something like..."what they don't know, won't hurt them", or.."it's ok unless you get caught", but many people tend to take this attitude.
As far as when to gather birch bark, many birch "shed" their bark (or at least parts of it) during the year. If you need to use more than your bare hands, then it should not be removed. Never "ring" the tree, as in take a continuous piece of bark, from all the way around the circumference of the tree. Even fallen or felled trees are habitats to wildlife, from insects to bacteria. I took my bark from a wind fallen tree, that was being disposed of, as they were clearing a track through a wood. Basically, I believe it is ok to collect birch bark, as long as you use a little common sense and leave the majority for mother nature.

Hope that is of some use to you Blu.

Adam

Excellent info, thank you. I'll keep a keen eye open next time i'm out with the dog and see whats available locally.
Nice one.

[Adam Savage]

he actually said "set it up with some copper wire ad make a small power source from it"........ so I thought a great idea, and told him to go for it, would love to see him do something like that, even just enough to trickle charge a cell phone or whatever.

That would be interesting to see. I'll have to keep an eye on his channel

[Adam Savage]

Excellent info, thank you. I'll keep a keen eye open next time i'm out with the dog and see whats available locally.
Nice one.

No problem buddy.

[Kieran]

Well to be fair on you, your knee was quite swollen. Ouch.

I would of just sat down and done no walking! haha.

[Kieran]

Nice idea. I've got a small flask that someone gave me as a present, unfortunately they didn't know i don't drink, so now i have found a use for it. Good video as well by the way.

Being 15 I don't drink either!
So I use mine for milk when I go out for a day! haha

[Adam Savage]

Some people use the larger hip flasks for carrying extra water, but milk sounds a much better use to me.

[MikeWilkinson]

Nice cover there, a lit bit disappointed by the title, I was hoping for a full Birch bark Flask :) Would have gone nicely with my Birch bark knife sheaths.
Ahh Well, another project to think about and add to the list.

[Adam Savage]

Nice cover there, a lit bit disappointed by the title, I was hoping for a full Birch bark Flask :) Would have gone nicely with my Birch bark knife sheaths.
Ahh Well, another project to think about and add to the list.

I would have a go at making a complete bark flask, but my skills probably wouldn't hold water (pun intended :)).

[Kieran]

Nice cover there, a lit bit disappointed by the title, I was hoping for a full Birch bark Flask :) Would have gone nicely with my Birch bark knife sheaths.
Ahh Well, another project to think about and add to the list.

How can you be disapointed by this? :O :confused2:

[Adam Savage]

How can you be disapointed by this? :O :confused2:

You're talking about the birch bark king there Kieran. Mike makes everything and anything from the stuff ;)

[Roadkillphil]

Ended up here after seeing your website Adam and our discussion on the matter of hip flasks and woodbees.... Another project on the cards!! :D

[Adam Savage]

It's a pretty straightforward project, but can be a little fiddly at times. Just need to find some nice bark form somewhere sustainable :)