Customer Reviews

Building a Birchbark Canoe

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book has been a discovery. Gidmark, indeed, made me discover the passion of birchbark canoe building. He also made me discover the great canoe builders who live in my own country! This book helped me to build on my own my first birchbark canoe. The review of different builders, craftmen and the numerous photos helped me to understand, step by step, all the building process.
For all future birchbark canoe builders, this is the basic book to buy!

Great book, packed with information: historical, and the building approaches of a variety of expert Native canoe builders. All is well-written, and loads of pictures. I love it.
Is there enough here to actually build a canoe from scratch? Hard to say: there are many aspects that, while covered, don't have enough detail (e.g. how to get the right consistency of spruce pitch to seal the sides. The process is described, but not in a cookbook style. Same is true of choosing good bark: described, but I think one has to go out into the field with an expert builder to really understand it).
Nevertheless, I plan to try by starting with a model...

I was asked to give a talk on birch bark canoes (I weave with birch bark)but didn't really know the first thing about them. This book was very helpful!! I did make a 3 ft birch bark canoe but also learned a lot about the people and their ways which really made my talk much more interesting. They were awe struck with my canoe. Would suggest this book to anyone interested in learn about canoes!!!!