Masur Birch

[georg]

  I tret Tony to some Masur Birch at yandles spring show .... it was a lot of money for a small log  ... so he  wanted to get the most
  out of it. 2 small boxes and 12 pens. comments welcome Tony & di

 

 

 

 

[bodrighywood]

I have never turned masur birch so have to ask, is that the actual colouring or have you been playing with colours again? Whichever the boxes are gorgeous.
Pete

[georg]

    Thank You Pete....... Been playing with colour again...... thought we would leave one natural and do one with a wash.
    Some of the pens are also left natural. Quite easy to turn but very expensive
    Tony di

[Derek]

Love the two boxes they are spectacular. As for the pen I am sorry but such a nice piece of wood deserves a nice pen kit

[Les Symonds]

I don't do pens, at all, so can't comment on that, but the boxes are amazing and the scorch lines work so well.
Les

[georg]

   Thank You Derek...... After spending all that money on the Birch could not afford the upmarket kits. 
   Not really our forte ..... but a good exercise.

   Thank You Les..... The scorch lines help disguise the actual cut and think they also give a bit of interest.
   
    Thanks again Both
     Tony di

[John D Smith]

 Hi Di & Tony,
                   I like the boxes very much and the slight colour wash is just about right having seen you do these first hand I know the work that goes into them.Di I have told you to stop spoiling him with these rare woods.
                                                                                                       Regards John

[edbanger]

What a stunning piece of wood and well turned by the hands of a true master 

The colouring is not bad either 

Ed

[GBF]

Well done Tony these are stunning.

Regards George

[georg]

  Method in my Madness John..... If Tony`s in the hut ... He`s not under my feet.  Much Appreciated.
 
  Thank You ED. .......... Thank You George

  Much Appreciated Guys
  Tony d


   

[Bryan Milham]

The way the colour brings our even more of the grain in the Masur Birch is very effective, it's a stunning wood to start with, but you've brought even more out of it.

[GREEN MAN]

Hello Tony and Di

Well you have certainly shown us all how to get the best out of a small log!  Two beautiful boxes and a great design.  I can see you making more of these out of a taller log so you get more layers.

A quick question - do you know if Masur Birch is only found in Scandinavian countries or has it ever been found in Britian ? I realise its a genetic effect which certainly produces some amazing patterns. I just wondered if it had ever been found in places like the Highlands of Scotland.

Thanks for showing

Kind regards

David

[georg]

   Thank You Bryan..... Its quite an easy wood to turn and watching it come to life gives a buzz.


  David thank you..... made about 4 taller ones.... one of which was  posted  a while ago on here , its on page16 jewellery box.
 
  To be honest I have not heard of it been found in the UK. As far has I am aware its found in Scandinavian countries and further north.
   

  Much Appreciated Guys Tony di

[woodndesign]

Your coloring as usual brings out the best in figure, though can't fault the natural, still as stunning and I like the small cast knob it has.

A look on wood database reads: Masur Birch is not a particular species of birch, but is rather a grain figure that is most commonly seen in Downy Birch and Silver Birch. It is also sometimes known as Karelian Birch—with Karelia being a region between Finland and Russia.

Silver birch .. I'm off into the woods later tomorrow...    ..

Cheers  David

[Paul Hannaby]

Here's some blurb on masur birch, lifted from my website! 

Masur birch is not a specific wood species, it is a birch (Betula pendula) found mainly in Scandinavia, Russia and Belarus that has a distinct figure caused by the attack of the Agromyzia carbonaria beetle. The beetle larvae burrow into the cambium (the tissue between the sapwood and the bark) of the tree and the tree repairs the damage as it grows, thereby creating pith flecks and dark markings which results in a highly decorative figure. Masur birch is often referred to as Karelian birch burl, named for the Karelia area in Finland where trees with this type of figure are more prevalent.

It's a wood I like to turn too, one with plenty of figure and character!