Sharpenable Birch Sticks 110mm, 100 pcs

These birch sticks are the bevel-tipped precision applicator: for tidying the edge of a lacuna, getting into a crack, working the bottom of a craquelure when dry or semi-damp. They are sharpened and trimmed with a scalpel for each task, and the birch withstands this work without splintering.

Applications

• Precision tidying in small areas, dry or semi-damp
• Working the edge of lacunae, cracks, and the bottom of craquelures
• Applicator that can be custom-sharpened during treatment
• Classroom and practical work

The name: sold as "orange wood" but they are not orange wood

What the market calls an orange wood stick is made of birch wood. The name is historical and has outlasted the material; a manufacturer confirmed this to us in writing and has since renamed their product. We mention this because the important technical criterion is not the species in the name, but the requirement: hardwood, closed-grain, low in extractives, and tannin-free. Birch meets this —pH 5.29, no significant tannin, machines cleanly— while oak is discarded: its heartwood is at pH 3.46, almost half of that acidity comes from extractives, and it stains and acidifies. Orange wood offers no documented advantage over birch.

This and the bamboo skewer are not alternatives

They do different things, which is why they are together on a material list: bamboo is the handle around which the swab is wrapped, and birch is the precision applicator that is sharpened. Neither replaces the other; removing one leaves a job without a tool.

Features

• Hard, closed-grain wood: sharpens with a scalpel and holds its bevel without splintering
• No significant tannin, unlike oak and woods that stain and acidify
• Originally bevel-tipped, resharpenable as many times as needed
• Pack of 100 units: it is a consumable

When to use birch and when to use a swab

Birch performs best when dry or semi-damp: tidying the edge of a lacuna, getting into a crack, working the bottom of a craquelure with a freshly sharpened tip. When the next step involves applying solvent, gel, or adhesive to the artwork, it is preferable to work with precision cleaning swabs: in this case, what touches the surface is the cotton, which dispenses, removes dirt, and is renewed every few centimeters. Both coexist on the same table and are used alternately depending on the treatment step.

Technical specifications

• Material: birch wood
• Length: 110 mm
• Tip: bevelled, resharpenable
• Contents: 100 units
• Surface finish: not declared by the manufacturer
• Use: precision applicator in conservation and restoration

Have questions? Write to us, and we'll guide you.