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Thread: Karelian Birch

  1. #1

    Karelian Birch

    Hi Creekers,

    another Dovetail Saw thread We've made one for a customer of Finland who provided us the handle wood. We think itīs worth to be shared. He sent us a piece of Karelian Birch. I've never seen this wood before so I was more than curious. The tree is native only in small regions of Finland, Russia and Sweden. Even there itīs rather expensive.

    The customer is well experienced in working with this wood. So we listened his proposals with open ears Due to the fact that this amazing wood doesn't show a consistent grain direction we agreed to adapt our usual handle design slightly. The transition between cheeks and grip is slightly thicker as the horns are, too.

    Itīs a 9" saw filed to 18 TPI rip in our High End design with ovally shaped spine.



    More pics can be seen on our blog.

    Thanks for looking.

    Klaus

  2. #2
    Looks fabulous as usual, klaus.

    One cannot know just how hard it is to create a photo-perfect tool like that until you think you did it, took a picture, and then saw all sorts of things that didn't appear to you until you saw the picture!

    I like the more substantial neck, too - it's very attractive.

  3. #3
    Thank you David!

    I agree completely, the mercylessness of pics can be rather cruel. It wasn't just once that I refinished a handle which I thought to be fine after having taken some pics ...

    Klaus

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    South Coastal Massachusetts
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    Makes for excellent Puuko handles, too.

    I'm not sure I want a tool that's prettier (gemuthlich?) than my furniture...

  5. #5
    Very Nice Looking Saw Klaus
    aka rarebear - Hand Planes 101 - RexMill - The Resource

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Longview WA
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    Absolutely Amazing.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Spring Hill FL.
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    first word that came to mind was "Sexy".


    edit*
    Hello, my name is Andrew and I am a toolahaulic.
    Andrew Gibson
    Program Manger and Resident Instructor
    Florida School Of Woodwork

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Virginia
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    3,178
    It looks like another figured European birch I used to see occasionally called Masur Birch, but they might be the same wood by different names.

  9. #9
    Very nice, Klaus. . .

    Puts pretty much all of my tools to shame. One of these days I am going to spring for a good custom saw, but until that day folks like you are going to keep me drooling on my keyboard.
    Making furniture teaches us new ways to remove splinters.

  10. #10
    Many thanks for your kind comments, gentlemen.

    @ Frank: You're right, the wood is also called Masur Birch and that name seems to be more common in the U.S.

    Klaus

  11. #11
    Klaus

    Beautiful! I like this very much. ( I may just need to get one). Not to Takeover a thread but I must say the two saws you made for me are nothing short of unbelievable in performance! I have been busy and have not had a chance to really comment. The cut is very thin (.012) and just a pleasure. I cannot express my pleasure well enough.

    George

    My saws.jpg
    George Beck
    Fishers Laser Carvers

  12. #12
    George,

    thanks a lot! Iīm more than happy to hear that your saws do their jobs well in the daily use. Pedder will be happy even more since he made the blades. One can say that Pedder is responsible for the performance of the tool while it is my part to make sure that it doesn't look ugly :-)

    There is another small piece of Karelian Birch laying in my shop just large enough for one open handle ... :-)

    Klaus

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