The bark in folk crafts have long been popular and well studied the masters, so the material is harvested, is considered the most suitable for the manufacture, not from the first available tree. Not a mile sometimes you have to go out to find a suitable.
The time and place of harvesting are also critical. Masters take the material from the tree, when the spring SAP flow (usually it happens in may — June). It is necessary to know the properties of birch bark, from the insistence to refer to the place of zagotavlivali. Some masters removed the bark from those trees that grow on the hills, others give preference to those that are in the lowlands. And every craftsman in its own rights, as he knows only he knows the secrets. Most believe that the best bark is from the mixed forest. But with birch trees growing in the marshy places, to take the bark is not necessary.
And that is typical, the wizard just does not ruin the wood and bark takes only in areas of firewood, logging. In the meantime, you do not have such experience, the bark should be taken only from the tree that fell or were moribund, or cut down in areas of green building, clearing, logging. You can not destroy the living, beautiful, growing tree. Look closely at the bark — it is layered. The bottom layer, around the trunk, crumble, for it is not good. The upper is too thin, the layer will also have to clean off.
But the bark that is left has a lot of layers, for some works it is still possible to separate and obtain a thin plate. Do not dispose of bark with black cracks, BOGORODCHANI, growths, they are highly decorative, attractive and gives the product a unique look, for which he appreciated.
There are several methods of harvesting bark, depending on that it will do. For three-dimensional, solid objects — baskets, basket — bark is removed entirely, cylinder stocking, however, this work requires great experience and skills, so this way we do not consider. Our work will be needed lamellar cortex.
The magnitude of the plate often depends on the size of the product, so it is important to prepare the bark. Just strip off the bark does not work, it's not a fake. You should make deep to the wood, cut with a knife diagonally along and across the trunk. Further, a kitchen knife or a similar tool to pick up the crust, pushing it from the trunk. You must be careful not to tear the crust, you shouldn't hurry.
Store the bark in a cool, dark place. Flat sheets stacked in a bundle, covered with paper, put on top load. Material with bumps and growths remain in their natural form.