# Ukkonen - Silver Birch Classic Natural



## ZDP-189 (Mar 14, 2010)

Not being allowed to cut trees in out parks, I traded for a a rough green fork from Frodo many moons ago. It came full of sap, so I let it dry out for the best part of a year. Now it has a crisp ring to it, I decided it was time to carve it.

I am a huge fan of Chepo69 and started out making a fork in his homage. As sometimes happens, the wood kind of spoke to me and I reworked it extensively, while keeping Chepo's characteristic vertical forks, round prongs and shaft and parallel tips and base. I followed the pattern of a thumb-stick walking stick crook. I widened, lightened and opened up the web to give the forfinger more purchase. It now sits well in the hand in a wide finger wrap grip.

The wood is Birch, the national tree of Finland, so I chose to name it Ukkonen, which is Finnish for thunder. I have quite a lot of experience working with birch, having specialised in making Scandinavian puukos before I was into slingshots. Birch is a lovely wood to work. It is not so prone to burning, light yet strong and has a lovely natural grain. The finish is Danish oil under wax.


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## The Gopher (Aug 25, 2010)

Great work Dan! Simple, elegant, beautiful!


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## erlkonig (Mar 31, 2011)

seem more people love natural


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

That's really lovely!
Great work


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## rockslinger (Nov 16, 2010)

_BEAUTIFUL JOB!_


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## strikewzen (Jun 18, 2010)

WOW ZDP!!!

i didn't know a high tech guy like you will choose to put out something elegant and simple like this

look at the curve of the forks they are more than perfect

i bet it's comfy to shoot with huh...


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## Rayshot (Feb 1, 2010)

Very nice Dan.


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## mckee (Oct 28, 2010)

Beautiful it resembles very much like chepos


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

That's a beauty. That silver birch stayed very light after being oiled. I made a silver birch fork a while ago and it darkened considerably when I oiled it. . . ?

Nice shape to that.


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

That is awesome! I love it.


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## Chepo69 (May 1, 2010)

I think that has escaped by stealth fork from my drawer! lol!

Thank you very much for that distinction Dan. I feel very honored by it.

It was beautiful that "Resorteronta"

Greetings Dan!


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## Bob Fionda (Apr 6, 2011)

Awesome!


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## pop shot (Sep 29, 2011)

nice, man!


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## fatboy (Oct 26, 2010)

Clean and crisp.


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## bigfoot (Mar 27, 2011)

That is unbelievably beautiful I love the grain and the clean look to it. Great work!


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## ZDP-189 (Mar 14, 2010)

strikewzen said:


> I think that has escaped by stealth fork from my drawer! lol!
> 
> Thank you very much for that distinction Dan. I feel very honored by it.
> 
> ...


I am honoured and overwhelmed that you'd comment so positively.

Another natural maker that I worship is martin. If he doesn't mind, I may have a go at making something in his style. I have another fork in my possession that is much larger. It was cut with a carved natural in mind and I have been turning it over in my hands for the last year as it seasoned, looking for the slingshot within. I am not sure that I see him clearly, perhaps I will have to wait for the wood to speak to me again.


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## e~shot (Jun 3, 2010)

Cool, good job Dan.


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## Martin (Jan 17, 2010)

That's a little stunner Dan, beautiful work. I love it.
Martin


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## alfshooter (May 11, 2011)

Great job, got the essence of the master chepo.


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## hood (Jun 2, 2011)

VERY NICE!!!


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## Danny0663 (Mar 15, 2011)

Looks beautiful dan.

Very clean and as stated, Crisp.

Those are some fine looking grain also.

Good things take time ..... as they say.


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## bkcooler (Jul 23, 2011)

Like everything you make;
Clean, functional and beautiful.
Great job.


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