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Birch for Siyahs ?

3 posts2009live thread
bradm
Hello all,
I have been watching the site for about a year now, reading and learning a lot. I would like to thank you all for your posts, this is a great forum. I have a quick question about using birch wood a siyah material in a modified Korean design like is depicted in TTBB volume III. The design shows a longer 38 inch bamboo core and shortened siyahs that might be about 6 inches long.
I think that birch would steam bend well, also it is quite available to me where mulberry, osage or black locust are not.
Would birch be unsuitable for this purpose ?[/i]
Iktomi
No reason birch won't work. It's not super heavy, but tough and stiff and yeah it heat bends well.
bradm
Thanks.....

Ya...I was a bit worried that in the area birch might begin to crystal. I guess that wrapping that whole area in sinew might be a good idea and add a bit of extra insurance. Although it will slow it down a bit.

Why not just make the siyahs from bamboo and keep it all one piece ?

Thanks again
Brad