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Best tool for stripping bark

2497 Views 9 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  bigdh2000
I have started a search for the perfect limb,

After I find it, what is the best way to remove / strip off the bark?
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For me my carving knife or my rasp. Mainly a knife. Depends on my plans for the fork and the shape I'm going for.

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For me, it started out being my Mora blade, but I got tired of having the edge dulled by bark / dirt in the bark, and always having to
sharpen it as I also mainly use it for my carving.

Now, I have switched to an Irwin carpet blade / hawk bill knife for stripping bark.

It has a chisel ground, single beveled edge, and works fantastically on even the toughest of bark......I can really get up in the crotch or V of the forks with the tip of it, and mostly use very controlled pull cuts towards myself, with the forks pressed tightly into my pile of shavings in the trash can I keep around......and if it slips, the hook of the tip catches safely in the V of the forks.

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I mostly use the folder I carve with. Especially with smooth barks. For some, I use my rasp.
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For the most part I've been using a pocket knife, just like I've been doing since I was 7 or so. Lately though, I'm using a military issue USMC Ka-Bar. Makes quick work of getting the bark off and I can chop through big knots.
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I always start with a 10" draw knife because of the amount of control that I have with it. It's an old draw knife that was used to build our house over 100 years ago now and I've been using it and others all of my life. I also have some spoke shaves, but for debarking and initial smoothing, the draw knife makes it quick and easy.
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I just started making natural fork slingshots.

I am using a Dremel like tool and use sanding drums to take bark off and also to carve the wood.

It works really well.
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My Mora Eldris has a 90° spine. The spine works really well removing bark (wild cherry).
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My Mora Eldris has a 90° spine. The spine works really well removing bark (wild cherry).
I've flattened the spine on my Mora's and rolled a burr like a cabinet scraper has, and use it to scrape my naturals after I've debarked them and carved them to the shape I want....prior to any sanding.

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