Being a rule breaking dummy, I chop the bark & twigs off NIP logs, cut
to blank length and rough turn to round.

Arch,

I got a log about a month ago that was supposed to be Birch. Cut it into
four blanks and was looking forward to turning some nice green wood. The
bark or the layer just under the bark was so abrasive that the edge on
the gouge lasted less than a minute. One pass on the blank and there
were streams of wood going over my shoulder and on the next
pass...nothing. Once the layer was gone, it turned like butter. In fact
I set a new, personal, indoor record for the length of shaving. This was
at least six feet long but since it was full of curls, it must have been
longer. That' fun!

Harry