For those unfamiliar with black ash basketry, we have attempted to provide a visual below.  Basically, once the black ash tree has been felled in the swamp or wet area, the roughly 7' section(s) are carried out. The bark is scored from one end to the other and peeled off.  In the spring, the bark comes off much like birch bark.  Other times of the year, a drawknife may be needed.  Every square inch of the log is then pounded with a mallet or other blunt object until the dense summer growth ring separates from the porous spring growth ring.  The pounding crushes the bond between the two rings and the "splints" pull off the length of the log.  We then separate and sort the splints before coiling them up for future use.

Peeling the bark before pounding

 

 

Pounding the log with the back of an axe

 

 

 

 

 

 

Splints starting to come off

 

 

Sorting the splints