Birch Oil: Medicinal & Waterproofing

LaurieLovesLearning

I was watching waterproofing videos, and saw deer/bear/beef tallow & beeswax.

Someone mentioned that tallow can go moldy. Someone else mentioned how birch oil could give further waterproofing. So, I went looking for how to make birch oil, because you can make virtually anything, right? It's not a lot different from the process of making black salve.

Peel your birch bark, if possible, not from a live tree (never, ever ring a tree. It will kill it). The rest is explained in the video. So very easy!

By the way, birch oil is medicinal. This guy mentions some benefits, but maybe @Torey can elaborate or add more.

https://youtu.be/wP4l16Np9cg

Iwasn't sure whether to put this in the category I chose, or in the medicinal category. I chose this because knowing how waterproof is very important.

I somehow suspect it wouldn't smell as tasty to anything that loves to chew leather either as if you used tallow. 😄

If you wish to preserve your tallow-beeswax mixture, mixing with 1/2 birch oil is supposed to help.

I also read that milkweed latex will further waterproof.

Torey

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remember learning about birch tar but it escapes me right now on when, where and why. I have a suspicion it may have been with regards to veterinary medicine.

Betulin is anti-inflammatory as is methyl salicylate; both are constituents of birch.

I've quickly had a look at some sources. Most seem to be quoting Maude Greive's Modern Herbal. So I'll leave a link to that page here.

https://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/b/bircom43.html

This next article has good info on birch and a variety of preparations made from the different parts. The bit about birch tar is closer to the bottom of the page. I knew about aspen trees having the powdery yeast starter on them but didn't realize that birch had it as well. Also, did not know that it could be used as an emergency sun screen. The word "herbalist" tends to make one think of herbs and other smaller plants that are used but the trees have so much more to offer us than we first may realize.

https://www.acornherbschool.com/birch

vickeym

Thanks @LaurieLovesLearning This looks like some good information.

nicksamanda11

I scanned the article, then bookmarked it so I can reference it when I forage Birch. Thanks for posting it.

vickeym

I finally got a chance to go do more looking through this. Then fell into the rabbit hole looking for more information. Found this site that seems to have posts on several uses or attributes of birch oil.

https://otzispouch.ca/birch-tar-oil-as-a-wood-finish-protector/

Michelle D

This is great info. I love learning these kind of things. My husband loves to do woodworking as hobby. He will love the info here also. Thanks for sharing.

Torey

Good info in your link @vickeym.

Maybe a suggestion for @judsoncarroll4 for a new finish for his woodworking.

judsoncarroll4

Excellent - I had not considered using birch oil, thanks!

LaurieLovesLearning

Through the link above, you can get even more information. This stuff sounds like an essential substance to make & always have on hand.

I wish we had lots of birch here. I'd make this & sell it.

https://otzispouch.ca/how-to-make-birch-tar-oil/

vickeym

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/923398#Comment_923398

Yes, there were links to all kinds of information and uses for it. Very impressed and lots of plans and ideas for it now. Can't wait for it to quit raining so I can try it.

In the medicinal article, I think it was, he talked about making it a little differently than the video site showed. He said that was common but he didn't like getting it that hot because it could lessen or harm the properties.