Birch Bark Steel

Birch Bark Steel Heat. Hammer. Heritage. ⚒️🔥🔪

• Blacksmithing
• Bladesmithing
• Knife Restorations
• Knife Sharpening

(Owner & Smith): Brandon J.

Cope

(Etsy Shop): birchbarksteel.etsy.com

When I saw this chunk of steel I instantly thought of a bench top anvil of sorts for pin peening while restoring old tra...
05/19/2026

When I saw this chunk of steel I instantly thought of a bench top anvil of sorts for pin peening while restoring old trade knives. A remedy for a rattle and making an old mechanical fit right and tight again. Cast steel with a hard enough surface to not blemish with a hammer and enough to have about 60% rebound with a 1 inch bearing drop at 12 inches. 5 inches across on top, 7 inches across at the base, and 3 inches tall. 24 lbs, and so smooth it's comical to try and pick it up-there's no lip or access point to pry being so flush! Great for light duty forging, peening, stamping, and a large enough hole bored all the way down (19 mm. diameter) for possible placement of forged hardy tools.

An immense volume of history and stories within these old trade knives I've been restoring-keep tabs on my Etsy Shop to ...
05/06/2026

An immense volume of history and stories within these old trade knives I've been restoring-keep tabs on my Etsy Shop to purchase and have them live on for another generation of hard use. Tried and true. My favorite type of blades and steel to work with. Nothing fancy, time tested.

New trade knife restoration projects on the horizon. Honest steel, worn handles, and stories worth carrying. Stay tuned ...
05/02/2026

New trade knife restoration projects on the horizon. Honest steel, worn handles, and stories worth carrying. Stay tuned and check my Etsy Shop in the next weeks!

03/06/2026

This is what can be made with literally the last remaining scraps of leather and brass tacks from a previous sheath project.

A shingle/plated-armor style, brass tacked leather dangler sheath. This is for a gifted, mini 1930's Bowie knife from my own collection, that I restored recently. Let's call it "The Armadillo"-for its stacked plates that resemble that unique animal and species alike.

I've never seen this style done before and my idea was for more flex for the leather, to relieve the stress at those tack sites, and for added water proofing for this high carbon steel blade.

It took some major planning and designing with material management being the major driving force behind the entire process.

Just cleaned up these tongs from a 1880s Blacksmith Shop (5th generation farm) in Scandinavia, Wisconsin-which is close ...
02/02/2026

Just cleaned up these tongs from a 1880s Blacksmith Shop (5th generation farm) in Scandinavia, Wisconsin-which is close to my home. I need a pair of "quick grab" tongs, and you can't beat free, and locally hand-forged with history attached to it. I grabbed a bunch of steel and wrought iron pieces and tools and punches months ago and I'm slowly breathing life back into them. They will be used this week forging with our Wisconsin heatwave-above 20° finally.

01/29/2026

It finally arrived in Wisconsin after much delay with the winter ice storms. My next restoration-19th Century "Nichols Bros." Terrible handle, but it will get walnut scales, new pins, and much love. Still straight and true, nimble in hand with the taper, thin, flexible, and just simple beauty from the 1890's.

Etsy Shop Announcement:Two (19th Century) "Swedish Barrel Knives" will be listed soon in my Knife Restorations Section. ...
01/15/2026

Etsy Shop Announcement:
Two (19th Century) "Swedish Barrel Knives" will be listed soon in my Knife Restorations Section. If you know, you know. Historical edged-beauty. Over 150 years old and still functional with Swedish engineering and materials. Message me if interested or browse my shop soon!

Etsy Shop: birchbarksteel.etsy.com

A meaningful "troll cross" forged from the very last piece of scrap steel my first year as a blacksmith (2023). Now ador...
12/20/2025

A meaningful "troll cross" forged from the very last piece of scrap steel my first year as a blacksmith (2023). Now adorned with a portion of the first deer tine I ever found randomly in Southeast Wisconsin- 17 years ago during countless, solo fossil hunting trips in high school. A place that fueled my heart and mind at the time, and to this day.

A few rainy/sick day projects: 1.) Handled wire brush for forge scale removal.2.) Makeshift rounding hardy tool for spoo...
12/18/2025

A few rainy/sick day projects:

1.) Handled wire brush for forge scale removal.

2.) Makeshift rounding hardy tool for spoons, etc.

3.) Flattened and surfaced my anvil face from previous mistakes and rounded the edges.

4.) Working on my forged kid-size "crow/pry bar" for my 5 year old (Christmas Present).

Some of my favorite pieces-a spoon from a gifted smith at a meetup, a striker from my wife, and a 1930's Wedding Gift kn...
12/12/2025

Some of my favorite pieces-a spoon from a gifted smith at a meetup, a striker from my wife, and a 1930's Wedding Gift knife set I restored that are the sharpest knives in the house.

Address

Iola, WI

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