Object number
66/165
Description
A barking iron, used for stripping bark from timber.
Label Text
Barking iron. This barking iron was used to strip bark from timber. The 'debarking' process is important because bark can be detrimental for wood used to create furniture, houses and other structures. This is because bark retains moisture, which is useful when the tree is alive, but can cause the wood to rot when it has been cut. Bark also provides a home for pests such as insects. However, bark should always be left on living trees, as stripping the bark away will cause anything above this point to die.
Object name
Associated subject
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_8248.tif - High resolution image
