Cherry Bark

jack farrell · Post by **jack farrell** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 12:38 am

I was out in the wilds of the Rocky mountains and spied some really pretty, metallic looking wild cherry trees. I scored the bark vertically with a sharp knife and the bark came easily slipping off.

I put some small pieces in a note pad and they stayed flat. Others, I put loosely under a box and they curled up backwards. I see that the inside is the desirable surface. It seemed like soaking in water would relax the curled ones but it had the opposite effect, making them curl backwards with a vengence. Soaking them did loosen some debris on the outside surface (now the inside surface) which I scraped off.

The whole process was harder than processing rawhide. Some few control pieces rolled themselves up tighter than cinnamon.

There are still a few flat original pcs.

Has anyone processed cherry bark? Jack

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 2:07 am

Jack,
I saw Dr Grayson working with it. Somehow he split it into layers. It was so thin, it looked like paper. He had planted an Amur Cherry tree to get bark the same as used in Manchuria, but the woodpeckers ruined it a couple of years ago.

I can't remember if he cut it in a spiral around the tree rather than up and down the trunk though.

redhawk · Post by **redhawk** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 8:56 am

It?s one of the greatest looking backings you can do.
But it is delicious to work.
I cut the bark in a spiral around the tree. Take it from the younger parts of the tree. this bark is thinner and softer. I don?t separate it into layers.
As soon as it is cut I soak it in water, the next day I boil it in a solution of water and a bit vinegar(10/1) for to make the fibres more smooth, than I glue it at the bows back, fixing it with a rope.
Coat the bows back with a thin solution of hide- glue before the glueing of the bark.
Let it dry some days, sand it.

Michael

jack farrell · Post by **jack farrell** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 10:46 am

Michael; Is there a best time of the year to collect the bark? Does it harm the tree? Can the bark be stored?

redhawk · Post by **redhawk** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 11:11 am

Jack, it harms the tree, so I keep my eyes open for to find cutted down cherry trees. Sometimes I cut a thick branch for to get a stave and the bark. Best time is in general late fall or when wintertime comes. But the time is not to important with the bark. You can store at a dry, airy space.
Michael

Cherry Bark

Cherry Bark

wild cherry back as backing

wild cherry bark