SIRIUS knife handmade by studio master Pavlo Honcharenko, Steel - mosaic damask 60-61 HRC

SPECIFICATIONS:

The name of the knife - SIRIUS knife handmade by studio master Pavlo Honcharenko, order to buy in Ukraine (Steel - mosaic damask)
Knife type: Fixed blade
Brand: Pavlo Honcharenko's Handmade Knives Studio

Blade material: Blade steel - mosaic damask (composition KhVG, U10a, nickel, chemical oxidation)
Steel sheet: One-piece cast, through-mounting on screed and resin
Blade Sharpening Angle: 35 Degree Pointed
Descents: Straight
Blade hardness: Cutting edge hardness 60-61 HRC
Total length: 280 mm
Blade length: 145 mm
Blade width: 31 mm
Blade thickness: 4.5 mm
Reduction: 0.2 mm
Handle length: 135 mm
Handle thickness: 28 mm
Grinding of the blade: Finish - mosaic damask
Bolster material: Neiselber - a hybrid of amber + loofah plant in acrylic
Handle: Buffalo Horn, Neuselber, Amber+Luffa Hybrid in Acrylic, Stabilized Mammoth Tooth, Stabilized Karelian Birch and Hornbeam, Mosaic Pin and Rope Tube. Strap made of leather cord 3mm, beads - hybrid
Handle color: Black-blue
Impregnation of the handle: Yes
Handle cover: Yes
Hole for a shoelace (for a lanyard): Yes
Scabbards: Tinted maple top, wood carving, Italian vegetable tanned calf leather, hand stitched with waxed thread, finished with water-proof finish, impregnated with protective solutions, stitched with waxed thread. The hanger is removable, free.
Knife Condition: New
Price: Listed with scabbard.

Model: SIRIUS knife handmade by studio master Pavlo Honcharenko, order to buy in Ukraine (Steel - mosaic damask)
Model number: 054
Country of birth: Ukraine
Craftsman: Master Pavlo Honcharenko, Ivankiv, Ukraine Pavlo Honcharenko's Handmade Knives Studio

Best use: Hunting, cutting, cutting
Knife condition: new
The price is indicated together with the scabbard.

A sharpened knife is not a cold weapon.

Our knives are very sharp, so be very careful when opening and handling them. We are not responsible for any injuries resulting from the use of our knives.
Our products are intended for legal use only by responsible buyers. We will not sell our products to anyone under the age of 18.

Availability changes regularly, after confirming your order we will notify you of availability or when the item is ready. The product may differ slightly from the one shown in the photo.

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 "Damascus" and "damask steel" what are these tacos and how do they differ?
What is Damascus steel?
Damascus is called steel, which has a clear, well-marked surface pattern, which is a consequence of its heterogeneous, layered internal structure. The drawing stands out in the form of light steel lines on a gray or black background. Especially well it becomes noticeable after etching the product with a weak acid. But sometimes it happens that the pattern appears after the polishing process.
For a long time, exceptional qualities were attributed to swords with such a pattern: high sharpness, flexibility and strength. Sometimes (especially against the background of products of imperfect medieval technologies) it was so. Why exactly "sometimes" will be discussed below.

In the photo: Knife "Enchanting Damascus" (Damascus).

Why is Damascus steel needed and why is it so?
As you know, real iron is actually usually an alloy of iron itself with carbon.

• If the carbon in the alloy is less than 0.3%, the metal will be soft, ductile and refractory. His something is usually called actually "iron". The quality and properties of this alloy can be judged by evaluating the mechanical properties of an ordinary nail.
• With a carbon content of more than 0.3%, but less than 1.7%, steel comes out. Ordinary steel is very similar in its properties to iron. But it has one important difference: it can be hardened. That is, when heated, and then, sharply cooled, the steel acquires greater rigidity. Unfortunately, along with this, it becomes fragile. In ancient times, when the technologies for producing steel and its hardening were still well developed, many products made from it (sometimes even swords and armor) did not differ much in quality from, for example, a Soviet-made file. Such a file is strong and hard, but try to drop it on the floor or hit it, and it will most likely break.
• Well, if the carbon content in the metal rises above 1.7%, you get cast iron. Cast iron melts easily and is well suited for casting, but is hard, brittle and cannot be forged. A fallen cast-iron pipe, even from a small height, shatters into smithereens.

As a result, we see that iron gives plasticity to the alloy and increases its melting point. An increase in the carbon content in the metal gives rigidity, up to brittleness, and makes the material more fusible.

Blacksmiths and metallurgists have always sought to combine these two contradictory qualities in their products - plasticity and hardness so that they complement, rather than refute each other. In addition, elasticity was considered an extremely important property, which initially none of these alloys possessed.

In the old days, tools made of pure iron turned out to be too soft, and those made of overheated steel of that time were very fragile.

We do not know what genius came up with the idea to combine these two alloys into a kind of "sandwich" and thus combine the properties of different materials in one product. But it was definitely a genius similar to the inventor of the wheel or the fire.

Thus, in the manufacture of the blade, a layer of hard steel was laid between two layers of soft iron and forged. As a result, a product was obtained, which, thanks to such a “layered” structure, was stronger purely iron and ductile than hard, but brittle due to unsuccessful hardening, steel of those years.

Tools and tools made of pure iron were too soft, and those made of pure steel were too brittle. Therefore, in order to make, for example, a sword, it was necessary to make a sandwich from two iron plates, between which a steel plate was laid.

Such steel was called welded.

In the photo: Hunting knife "Sea drop". The blade is made of mosaic Damascus.

Damascus is a further development of this technology. It occurred to someone (most likely in India) that if the product had more alternating layers, it would become even more flexible and durable.

The method of obtaining such steel was quite laborious - the iron billet was forged in length, folded in half, then forged again and folded again. This action was repeated sometimes dozens of times. Thirty or forty repetitions would surprise no one. Although hardly anyone would share such subtleties of technology. For a long time, the masters kept it in the strictest confidence.

In the future, other, somewhat (quite a bit) less time-consuming methods were invented. But the principle of operation has always remained approximately the same.

The result was a workpiece in which many of the thinnest high and low carbon layers created an amazing structure with new properties. The very mixing of layers gives rise to that beautiful pattern that distinguishes Damascus steel. It is the structure and the peculiarity of the arrangement of the layers that determine the qualities of the blade. Determine the connection in it strength and flexibility.

By the way, for a trained eye, the drawing began to say a lot. Thus, Al-Kindi, a well-known medieval Arab weapon connoisseur, wrote: "Looking at patterned steel, you see it both outside and inside." And, perhaps, one of the best European connoisseurs of damask and Damascus steels P.P. Anosov argued that "... an experienced Asian will not make a mistake in choosing a blade and one at a time 

vision will determine whether the tie is damask steel or fragile, hard or soft, elastic or weak.

It is interesting that modern experts often say the exact opposite, they say, "the quality of steel has nothing to do with the pattern on it." Most likely, this interesting curiosity is due to the fact that the methods of chemical and mechanical application of a Damascus pattern to the surface of any piece of steel, even an ordinary piece of iron, have long been known, which never lay next to a blacksmith miner. Of course, nowadays such fakes have become extremely common.

In addition, from under the hammer of the “master”, who does not know all the features of production, blanks with a pattern, like a real Damascus, may well come out, but not rising in their characteristics above quite ordinary steel. And here, in order to figure it out, one should already be a real connoisseur, no worse than Anosov or Al-Kindi.

So, firstly, from all that has been said, we can conclude that Damascus steel can be of different quality, and this depends on the internal structure of the layers and, of course, the skill of the blacksmith.

And secondly, we note that along with the word "Damascus" the word "bulat" is also used. This, perhaps, is worth talking about separately.

In the photo: Hunting knife "Mosaic Damascus"

What is "bulat" and how does it differ from "damascus"?

There was no single terminology in the old days, but there were many diverse local traditions. In addition, the means of transmission were very imperfect. For this reason, words and concepts were constantly changed and distorted, giving rise to a variety that was unthinkable in its complexity and illogicality.

We, accustomed to the unambiguity of terms, should constantly remember this when we are dealing with different concepts and ideas of our ancestors.

Expensive and high-quality steel in different countries and different times was called differently. "Damascus", "bulat", "wootz", "kharalug", "taban", "khorashan", "sham" - these names cannot be counted.

Yes, for a long time the highest quality steel in general on the territory of the Russian Empire was called “damask steel” (damask steel). And, apparently, they didn’t think at all that this word came from the Iranian “pulad”, which meant  cast steel.

As V. N. Khoreev writes in the book “Weapons from Damascus and Bulat”: “Damask steel is steel with an abnormally high (about 2% or more) carbon content, which has a set of properties that are incompatible in ordinary metal, namely, the maximum possible hardness and density combined with an equally high ductility. Natural damask steel is obtained by smelting, when a small finished ingot comes out of the furnace, initially carrying a magical internal structure.

In the photo: Hunting knife "RIS 3" (Damascus).

The word "damascus", possibly (but not exactly) comes from another Arabic "damask", mastering "wavy", "jet". It is not ruled out that this name comes from all sorts of associations with the East and the colorful pattern of the famous Damascus fabrics. As usual in such cases, no one can say for sure.

The main thing that we see is that damask steel and Damascus steel are obtained using completely different technologies. Since they did not know how to melt iron in most regions of our planet for a long time, damask steel was even rarer than welded patterned steel.

For this reason, the use of the term "damask steel" to "Damascus" is a clear result of confusion and, most likely, a consequence of the fact that very few people saw real damask steel on the territory of the Russian Empire.

By the way, the drawing on cast damask steel can also be beautiful and pleasing to the eye. It is believed that it was laid during the crystallization of the ingot. This happened because iron and carbon, as we already wrote, have different melting points. In the future, during forging, this pattern could turn out one way or another. But, by the way, some experts argue that it was the fine-grained, patternless varieties of cast wutz (as the Indians themselves called it) that were the best.

Unfortunately, in the place of the invention of damask steel - in India, the secrets of its production were buried so diligently that in the end they were completely lost. A. Vasilenko in his article "Damask Steel" claims that: "By the end of the 12th century, blades made of cast damask steel of the highest quality ... could not be made either in India, or in Syria, or in Persia."

At the end of the 18th century, Indian metallurgists were ruined by the import of cheap iron from England, and all hopes of restoring the lost tradition to her homeland completely evaporated.

Since then, the metallurgists of many countries have been looking for the secret of obtaining "the same damask steel". From time to time, a joyful statement was heard that the secret of the legendary "woot" was unraveled. But is it really the same alloy, no one will tell you.

However, even at present, some manufacturers produce limited series of knives, the blades of which are declared as damask. It rarely happens, knives are so very expensive. One of these manufacturers is, for example, Herbertz Limited Edition.

In the photo: Knife "DEER" (Damascus).
 

Are knives currently made from boiled Damascus?

Yes, they do. It is forged Damascus, due to its beauty and surrounding legends, that is still very popular. In addition, the method of its production has long been no secret.

Some knives made of real forged Damascus can be seen and bought in the Grand Way online store, and relatively inexpensively. For a very reasonable amount, you can become the owner of a knife, for which in ancient times you would have given a small herd of horses or an outstanding piece of land.

We have a separate category for Damascus knives.

What is Damascus?
Working with Damascus, it is possible to obtain many different patterns. There is almost no fantasy between the master here. Blacksmiths who work with Damascus steel usually do not stop in experimentation, looking for new forms of pattern and methods for obtaining them.

Different types of Damascus are distinguished primarily by the features of the pattern. Yes, there are striped, mesh and wavy damask.

Quite rare, and therefore very valuable in the old days, was considered a cranked pattern across the entire width of the blade. In the East, the taban (“brilliant”) and khorasan (“sunrise”) varieties were more distinguished. These were very high-quality damasks, with a surprisingly beautiful pattern: on a dark background with a golden tint, there were clearly visible, clear light lines that formed a large cranked or mesh pattern.

In general, a whole tree of variants and forms diverges from these basic types. Masters do not stop experiments and searches, so the variety of drawings is only growing.

In the photo: The blade of the BEAR LAPA knife (Damascus) is an excellent example of the so-called banded Damascus.

Does Damascus steel have disadvantages?

Of course, everyone in this world has flaws. There are no exceptions.

The main disadvantage of Damascus at all times was the laboriousness of manufacturing and the high consumption of material. It is believed that in the course of repeated dozens of forgings, the workpieces lost up to 85% of their weight until they finally turned into Damascus.

Due to such a significant consumption of material, time and effort, products made from such steel have always been very expensive. In addition, the secrecy of technologies, the limited number of craftsmen capable of producing such swords, also influenced the price increase.

The second drawback is the extraordinary tendency of Damascus to corrosion. The reason for this sad fact is the high carbon content and the almost complete absence of alloying elements in these steel grades.

Therefore, Damascus swords, like expensive stallions, have always needed especially careful care.

After use, they should be wiped dry well. Keep away from moisture. And in case of rust, immediately remove it with available means (kerosene, sandpaper, etc.)

Are there any better than damascus and damask in our time?

Perhaps more obviously, the secret of damask steel was revealed by modern civilization by the same Anosov in 1830. Many understandings of Europe fought over this problem, but only Anosov had Tagil magnetite at hand for experiments.

However, soon after this discovery, more advanced, manufacturable and cheap methods for producing steels were developed, combining strength and elastic properties. These grades of steel may not always have been better than cast damask steel in all respects, but they certainly made it a more convenient alternative in production.

Progress does not stand still. The technologies of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, as well as the deep knowledge of modern scientists in physics and chemistry, gave us steels and alloys that are simply incredible and unthinkable for ancient blacksmiths. Moreover, they made products made from these steels available not only to kings and chess players, but to practically almost all of humanity.

For example, in the Grand Way store, you can find many models of knives that are not inferior in quality to many blades from ancient legends and tales.

For example, the blade of the CH Knives CH 3510 folding knife is made of 154CM, an excellent high-carbon American steel. This steel grade was originally developed for the production of turbines. But the combination of its characteristics turned out to be so attractive to fakers that this steel is now firmly entrenched in the knife industry. 154CM is used by knife brands and individual craftsmen around the world.

The fact is that the structure and chemical composition of this steel grade allows it to be hardened to high hardness rates (usually about 60HRC) without loss of toughness. The steel does not become brittle. This means that such a blade can be made very sharp, but it will still perfectly resist both painting and mechanical stress.

Of course, 154CM, like all higher carbon steels, can rust when exposed to water or aggressive environments for a long time. But with proper care, one hundred and fifty-fourth shows itself from the best side.

The blade made of 154CM steel allows the CH3510 knife to rightfully take its place in the list of really top, premium models sold in the  knife.net.ua online store.  It should be noted that the quality level of the collection of this knife is also adequate to its high status.

No less interesting in this regard than the S3 puukko flipper from Real Steel. His sword is crafted from Böhler M390 premium martensitic chromium powder steel. This steel has a high strength-to-toughness ratio, maintains a sharp cutting edge well and resists mechanical stress. And most importantly, at the same time - it perfectly resists corrosion!

Böhler M390 is a premium steel. Knives from it are produced in a limited edition (according to Real Steel knives USA, the S3 puukko flipper series is 600 pieces). Therefore, a personal serial number is applied to the butt of each copy, which is also inscribed in the passport attached to the knife.

Does Damascus retain its significance in our time?

Yes and no. Moreover, the romantic "yes" is clearly dominated by the dry practical "no".
Of course, getting Damascus forged is no longer the only affordable way to get quality blade steel.
But what went nowhere is the aesthetic and cultural significance of this steel. The Damascus sword knife is still a very good thing. A desirable addition to the collection and a prestigious, valuable gift.
The legends surrounding Damascus steel swords only give them exclusivity and significance in the eyes of people. After all, buying such a knife, you get not just a high-quality cutting tool, you buy a part of the legend, a small piece of the glorious history of mankind, a reminder of the times of brilliant blacksmiths, great kings and glorious heroes.
Such values ​​\u200b\u200bare eternal and they probably cannot be counted in money.
Steel knife CPM-S90V

Steel knife CPM-S90V

Thus, the exclusive handmade knife.net.ua knives are highly durable and can withstand fairly large loads and at the same time perfectly maintain their sharpness. They have excellent anti-corrosion properties and do not react with most alkalis and acids, which means that these knives do not require special care, which makes them a huge plus when used in nature, hunting, fishing and / or in extreme conditions *. Perhaps the only disadvantage of knives made of M398 steel is their cost, which is quite high and you need to be prepared for this.

It should be remembered that when using the knife for its intended purpose and careful handling, this will serve you for a very, very long time.

You can buy knives on our website knife.net.ua or by contacting us by phone +380961711010

Happy shopping! We will be glad to see you among our customers!

Birch - description, species names and useful properties

Since ancient times, the white birch has been sung in literature and music, and appears in the landscapes of Ukrainian artists. Birch has become a kind of symbol of Ukraine. Other names are weeping, drooping, warty, common birch. It is called bowed and dangling because of the peculiar growth of branches, and warty due to bulges on young branches resembling warts. But also the well-known paper birch, you can familiarize yourself with it by clicking on the link.

birch species

Of the 4 dozen varieties of birch, most of them are suitable for the chemical industry and for the creation of furniture. This is largely due to physical indicators, which indicate that the tree does not have a high density, the required hardness, and at the same time is subject to destructive destruction later. However, there are such varieties of birch that are considered very valuable and can be used in various branches of the national economy.

A few words about ordinary banks:

hung

This species of birch reaches a maximum height of 30 meters in adulthood. It comes after her eighth birthday. At the same time, the brown trunk of the tree turns white. The wood is painted in a yellowish-white shade. It is one of the heaviest and rather dense woods.

The second name is warty birch, this species got its name because the tree is covered with resin warts. Young birch has straight branches. And in the old one, they drooped down. The shape of the leaves resembles a rhombus. The color of the birch hangs in May or June. The flowers are brown. It grows in forested, mountainous areas, as well as on plains throughout the territory of Ukraine.

The tree is very light-loving, its lifespan can reach 120 years. It is valued for its high calorific value. It is used in the production of charcoal, production of skis and plywood. Wood indicators deserve an assessment of 5 points.

dwarf

It is a branchy shrub very similar to a large birch. It grows in the northern regions of Ukraine and throughout Canada. Chooses mountainous or swampy terrain. The leaves of the plant are small, dark green above, light below. Small earrings have an oval shape. The bark of an adult plant is smooth, brown in color, covered with a cortical layer.

The shrub grows slowly, but is able to withstand critically low temperatures. In the North, dwarf birch leaves are used as deer feed. A trunk and branches for a bonfire. Dwarf birch is also used in landscape design.

Karelian

In the forests of Karelia, Belarus, Lithuania and the north-western regions of the European part of Ukraine, the neighbor of the birch is often the Karelian birch. The tree has a special cap (outgrowth) on the trunk. It is highly valued for its interesting texture.

It is a subspecies of hanging birch and grows in small groups. There are three types:

• stunted,
• medium height,
• tall

The drawing of wood is the most beautiful and unique. Wood is used to create sculptural compositions, dishes, and other products. Karelian birch wood is one of the most valuable and it is often a symbol of Northern Ukraine.

Daur (Korean)

Black birch reaches a height of 25 meters. It grows on the lower slopes of mountains in Japan, Northern China, Korea, Mongolia and the Far East. It is believed that where there is this birch there is good soil for agriculture. The leaves are oval and dark green in color. Loves light and moisture. It is most often used for decorative purposes or for the production of coal, as well as in the manufacture of products.

The video will tell you what a black birch is:

grounding

This type of birch is a shrub, the maximum height of which does not exceed 2.5 meters. Most often, squat birch grows in swamps in Western Scandinavia, the Far East, and Central Ukraine.

The leaves of the shrub are oval with resin warts. Kidneys are oval, pubescent. Color with the appearance of leaves in May. Leaves, buds and bark are used by humans only for medicinal purposes or for lighting solid fuel stoves.

iron

The second name is Schmidt's birch. Its wood not only does not sink in water, but also does not burn. It grows on rocky soil in Japan, China, and the southern Primorsky Territory. The tree grows up to twenty meters, the crown begins after 8 meters. The color of the bark ranges from dark gray to brown.

This birch is long-lived. Lives up to 400 years. Grows very slowly in the first half century. Loves light. With a small amount of it, the barrel tilts strongly. Its application in the economy is impossible, since there are no tools that could process it.

Red

This is a tree whose height does not exceed 5 meters. The bark is yellowish-gray. Red birch or Yarmolenko grows only in Kazakhstan, and only in the Alma-Ata region. There is very little of it there, so it is listed in the Red Book and its logging is prohibited.

Yerman's birch (kam'yana)

Betula ermani Cham. It grows on Sakhalin and Kamchatka, as well as in the Far East and Japan. Sometimes it is called Scandinavian. The bark of a tree, the height of which does not exceed 20 meters, is brown. This birch is frost-resistant. It grows in stony soil. It is used for kindling, in the production of coal, as well as in the manufacture of products.

description

Deciduous trees up to 20-30 meters tall, crown diameter up to 15 meters, oval uneven crown and hanging branches. The leaves are oval-triangular, narrowed to the end, serrated at the edges, turn bright yellow in autumn. The leaves of a young tree are sticky.

In young plants, the bark is brown, in adults it is white with a black base and spots. With age, the bark cracks from below. They live 120-150 years, bloom in April and May before the leaves bloom, bear fruit in September - elongated oval nuts with two wings.

The main root is abundantly overgrown with lateral ones, which develop and become powerful enough to support the tree. Then the tap root dies.

features of wood

Birch grows quickly, adapts easily, and recovers well. Its wood is easily processed, perfectly polished.

From birch they make:

• parquet,
• skiing,
• plywood
• products for turning production,
• furniture.

Wood is not prone to rotting, which is why birch logs were found, as well as tuesa, boxes, and boats. Each of these products is over 500 years old. The Slavs believed that birch saves from troubles and ensures well-being. Therefore, it was always planted next to the house. In the modern economy, it is quite expensive to use birch, although its technical and mechanical characteristics are quite high.

care

At the beginning of spring, before the leaves appear, and at the end of it, trees are fed. For this, a special mixture is prepared: 10 g of urea, a kilogram of mullein, 15 g of ammonium nitrate per 10 liters of water. 30 liters of solution are needed for feeding 10-20-year-old plants, 50 liters for 30-year-old and older trees. Watering is carried out during planting and for three to four days after it. The loosening of the soil is carried out to a depth of 3 cm in the process of weeding. Mulching of the trunk circles is carried out with peat, wood chips, peat compost in a layer of 8-12 centimeters. Dry branches are cut in spring.

Physico-mechanical characteristics of birch

Birch is not one of the leading materials in the construction industry. Its wood is used here for the production of semi-finished products. However, in furniture production, it has a great role. This purpose is due to various physical properties of wood.

density

The relative, conventional density of wood is a proportional ratio of parts of the same weight, one of which is completely dry, the other on the verge of hygroscopicity. Birch refers to wood with an average density. At a relative humidity of 12%, it is equal to 0.65 g / m3. And with a humidity of 25%, it is 0.71 g / m3. It is noteworthy that the density of late wood is more than 2 times higher than that of early wood.

strength of wood

Resistance to destruction from the outside is called wood density. This indicator is the smaller, the higher the humidity of the tree. The strength is also affected by the external defects of the tree. The strongest wood is black birch.

At a humidity of 12%, the indicators of the strength limit are as follows:

The listed indicators are characteristic of most types of birch wood. Such parameters refer wood to soft tree species.

And here are the following strong varieties of birch:

• iron;
• fluffy;
• I'm crying.

At the same time, any type of birch wood has the lowest resistance to radial splitting. Similar splitting is used in the production of firewood. And the wood of any birch gets the maximum strength when it is split tangentially. In this way, durable products are made, for example, handles of axes and chisels.

Catch indicators of strength, as well as most other physical parameters, are determined at natural humidity.

hardness

A generally accepted scale for determining the hardness of wood of various species is laid down in the Brinell method. According to him, most varieties of birch belong to wood species of medium hardness, but quite wear-resistant. That is why parquet is made from birch, which, by the way, is quite popular.

So, ordinary birch belongs to hard types of wood, its end hardness index exceeds the level of 38.6 MPa. But iron birch has a hardness index that is higher than 82 MPa.

weight of wood

The weight of wood depends on the amount of checkered fabric, the anatomical structure of the tree, the amount of water in it, and its strength, hardness, calorific value, possibilities for swelling, degree of shrinkage.

Specific gravity indicators

Any dry birch is 3-5% lighter than wet. The specific weight of a freshly cut birch tree can be a third heavier during periods of constant rain.

Volumetric mass of wood is responsible for quality indicators. The average volumetric weight of birch wood at a humidity of up to 15% is 0.64 g / cm3, which makes it an average wood. But the volumetric mass of freshly cut birch is 0.88 g / cm3.

thermal conductivity

The ability to conduct heat from one surface to another in birch wood at the level of 630 kg / m3. This indicator was determined by the laboratory method in conditions of humidity of 12%. In a completely dry state, the thermal conductivity decreases to 600 kg / m3.

At the same time, the burning temperature of birch is quite high. So, birch firewood when burning reaches a temperature of 1547 ° C and this is at the ignition point at the level of 300-350 ° C. The calorific value of birch firewood is 4968 calories.

Thus, according to physical indicators, birch wood does not retain heat well, is prone to rotting and can be spoiled by a bug, however, as lumber it has high qualities, and birch firewood gives quite a lot of heat.

Humidity

Birch is very sensitive to humidity. That is why only small products are made from it, large products can change their shape under the influence of moisture. Freshly felled downy and warty birch has a maximum moisture content of 78%, and ribbed - 68%.

The hygroscopicity of birch wood is quite high. It is able to absorb a large amount of steam from the air. But it is almost always dehydrated only in special dryers.

Moisture content of 12% for all varieties of birch is achieved only by forced drying. And for additional protection of birch wood from the harmful effects of moisture, it should be impregnated with sunflower oil. Its tensile structure allows it to penetrate deep into the layers of wood, thereby creating additional protection. You can also immerse the finished products from dry wood in a hot oil solution for several (4-5) hours.

Chemical composition

The composition of any wood contains C, H, O and N. The total mass of these elements is about 99%. The chemical composition of the trunk and branches is identical. Only completely dry wood contains about 50% carbon and only 0.3% nitrogen.

Yellow (American)

Yellow birch has some features, the main of which is that two different species of this tree are called this, one of which is found in Asia, and the other mainly in North America. In this section, we will talk about the second.
The height of the plant is about 18-24 m, the girth of the trunk can reach 1 m. In the wild, it is found on the territory of North America, in the largest quantities in its southern parts.

Importantly! This type of birch, unlike all others, blooms at the end of spring, which will help to diversify your plot against the background of other trees.

This species is characterized by high shade tolerance, prefers river banks and swampy areas for its growth. It has a shiny bark of a golden or yellowish-gray shade, which peels very well, densely covered with white longitudinal cracks.

The root is located rather superficially, widely branched. Young shoots have a gray color, after they reach the age of one year, white lentils form on their surface.

Standards according to GOST and special types of birch wood

Standard standardization determines not only the optimal values ​​of hardness, density, moisture content, as well as color and size, but also determines the number of possible defects and where this wood can be used.

So:

• GOST 862.3-86  indicates that for, for example, skis, birch of the 1st grade should be used, the thickness of the workpiece does not exceed 16 centimeters, and the length is 1.5 meters.
• GOST 9462-88  states that birch wood of the 1st and 2nd grades with a nominal minimum length of 1.3 meters should not have wormholes, sapwood rot, and the height of knots from the bark at the level of 2 centimeters can be used for the production of plywood;
• GOST 2292  indicates the norms of safe transportation of wood, including birch;
• GOST 9014.0  (one of 4) defines the norms of wood storage.

Quality standards also establish the amount of substances used that increase the operational characteristics of wood.

stabilized

Polymerized birch wood or stabilized wood that is impregnated with fillers and can be used in the manufacture of knife handles, axes, products. After exposure to chemical regents under pressure and for a certain period of time, the wood becomes stronger, stronger and resistant to moisture.

Birch wood after such treatment takes color better when painted and can better imitate more expensive varieties. The process of stabilizing and preserving wood guarantees a deep penetration of the necessary substance into the fibers and capillaries.

The photo shows stabilized Karelian birch wood

moraine

Wood that has been lying in a natural reservoir for a long time (sometimes decades) is considered very valuable. During its stay in the water, the tree is permeated with valuable minerals and sometimes changes its color dramatically.

In water, even such wood as birch becomes somewhat stronger. True, in order to be able to use it, say, for interior lining or in the production of furniture, it is necessary to dry it in a special chamber.

Birch is a valuable tree. In addition to the aesthetic pleasure of its appearance, it gives a person valuable branches (for brooms), fruits, flowers, earrings (for medicinal purposes) and wood, the successful use of which is possible in the national economy.

plant planting

Next, let's talk about options for planting a plant both vegetatively and generatively. Let's note which option will give better survivability.

seeds

Planting with seeds can be carried out both immediately after harvesting and in the fall. The seeds are not afraid of frost, so there is no need to additionally insulate the soil.
Before sowing, it is advisable to check all the seeds again and dry them well. Next, we choose a place according to the criteria described above and produce seeds. You should make several furrows, 5 cm deep and up to 10 cm wide. Pour all the seed material and carefully cover the soil. The distance between the furrows should be at least 30 cm.  It is worth remembering that every year the seeds lose their germination, so it is advisable to sow them in the same year when they were harvested.

seedlings

Let's start with the selection of a seedling. Ideally, buy the version that is in a container, as there is no risk of damage or drying out of the roots. Always fully inspect the condition of the seedling at the time of purchase.
A few days before planting, a hole with a diameter of 1-1.5 m is dug. The bottom soil is removed, and the top is mixed with humus, peat, fertile garden soil, sand and mineral fertilizers so that the roots of the seedling do not come into contact with pure humus or "mineral" .

Next, planting is carried out, during which the roots of the plant are not separated from the earthen ball (if there is one). If there is no coma, it is advisable to soak the roots in water for several hours. First, the bottom of the pit is lined with drainage, which can be represented by small pebbles, crushed stone or expanded clay. The layer should be about 15-20 cm.
Next, pour a little soil mixture so that a mound is formed in the center, on which we will place an earthen lump with roots. After placing the seedling in the hole, adjust it so that it grows straight up, not to the side. The rest of the soil mixture is poured, slightly compacting it.

At the end, we water the bush and mulch it, if this option is acceptable for you.

Do you know? In northern latitudes, birch pollen sometimes causes seasonal hay fever in people with increased sensitivity.

"Urban" variety

The hanging birch "Yungi" is a small, slow-growing, picturesque stock tree. The plant has an umbrella-shaped weeping crown. Its height is up to 5 m, and its width is up to 3-4. The bark has a white color, a smooth surface, on which rare black cracks are visible. The tree shoots are flexible. Young branches hang down to the ground. This gives the crown a characteristic umbrella look.
The hanging birch "Yungi" has light green leaves. Their size is smaller than that of a typical plant. The leaves have a pointed triangular shape. They are serrated at the edges. The leaves bloom in early spring. With the onset of autumn, they acquire a wonderful yellow color. In the young age of the tree, as in the species plant, the leaves are sticky and smooth. The flowers are presented in the form of yellowish inflorescences - honey-bearing earrings.

The root system of the tree is superficial. It is able to lift road surfaces, shows sensitivity to planting along the stem circle and compaction of the soil, the presence of drainage.

The development of the plant is quite intense. This type of birch is characterized by high winter hardiness, while it loves the sun. Planting is best done in spring. The tree is resistant to urban conditions.

The tree has no advantages in terms of soil conditions. It can be found on any soil from neutral to slightly acidic. The plant develops normally on alkaline soils, is sensitive to salinity. The "Yungi" variety is used as a solitaire in small gardens and homesteads. The tree is also used in the design of the coastal line of reservoirs.

Protection from diseases and pests

Tubeworm beetles damage young shoots and leaves. It is recommended to collect and burn the affected leaves, and dig up the tree trunks. The caterpillars of the silkworm-nun and bucephalus eat the foliage abundantly, leaving only veins. The caterpillars are shaken off, and the plants are treated with insecticides. May beetles and their larvae eat the roots.

It is recommended to dig up the soil and select larvae. Birch trees are susceptible to many fungal diseases, especially tinder fungi that destroy wood. They should be removed. Against rust, fungicides are sprayed, for example, copper oxychloride (0.4%).

Source: https://cash-flow.com.ua/bereza-%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B-opis-nazvi-vidiv-i-korisni-vlastivosti/

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