Home For men Instructions for the use of birch tar. Birch tar: benefits and harms, methods of application Birch resin

For men

Instructions for the use of birch tar. Birch tar: benefits and harms, methods of application Birch resin

Tar literally means burnt or burnt. The name of the product comes from the Indo-European root meaning "to burn, to burn."

What is tar?

Tar is a liquid product that is formed during pyrolysis (dry distillation) of wood. In Russia, traditionally, tar was made from birch bark - the outer layer of birch bark. At the same time, from 75 kilograms of birch bark, 22.5 kilograms of pure tar is obtained.

But you can also get it from pine, juniper, beech, aspen and some other trees.

The highest quality is considered to be tar made from live or just felled trees 12-14 years old.

In most languages, initially, tar was called only a product that was obtained from pine trunks and used for tarning ships. In Russia it was called "vara" or resin.

You can prepare tar from coal and brown coal, peat, shale, oil. But in this case, the resulting product is very different from the traditional birch tar and is called bitumen, or pitch.

During the production of tar, 2 fractions are formed: low-boiling, or medical tar, and resin, which is used for technical needs.

Tar history

In the old days, tar was exported from Russia to other countries, where it was called “Russian butter.” The person producing tar was called tar, tar or tar.

In many countries, this product was used as a means of punishment. In Russia, they were smeared with the gates of women leading a dissolute life. In the United States, criminals were doused with tar and feathers. After such execution, they were driven away by city streets or forced to stand in a prominent place.

Tar was also used in heraldry. The coat of arms of the city of Velsk, located in the Astrakhan region, contains an image of a barrel filled with tar and standing in the middle of a golden field, which indicates the income received by the city from the sale of this product.

Folk art did not stand aside either. But here you can see one rather strange feature. In Russia, the negative features of the substance are emphasized. Everyone knows the saying that with the help of a fly in the ointment you can spoil a whole barrel of honey. At the same time, residents of other countries attribute opposite properties to this product. What's the matter? Are the tastes of Russians and representatives of other nationalities so different?

It turns out that the point is quite different. The conversation is about completely different substances: pine and birch tar. Pine tar is added to flavorings and foods. But birch tar, even in micro doses, can spoil the smell and taste of any product. The proverb says that despite the fact that the birch bark is white, the tar is black. But the same fly in the ointment that spoils the barrel of honey can heal a person from many diseases. It is not for nothing that the Finns endow this product with miraculous power, claiming that if it is impossible to cure a disease with the help of a bath, vodka and tar, then it is fatal.

The medical Talmuds of the Middle Ages claim that tar water helped stop the spread of the disease during the smallpox epidemics. For prophylaxis, small children were given a few drops of tar.

Types and varieties of tar

In Russia, tar was known in several varieties:

1. pit - pure tar;

2. birch bark, or raw tar - the so-called pure birch tar, which was mined in the Tula and Pskov provinces;

3. Kargopol - pure birch tar with the consistency of hemp oil, characterized by a bluish tint, used for tanning leather of the highest grades;

4. Finnish - differs in a more liquid consistency compared to Kargopol, has a greenish tint and a slight reddish tint, it was used to lubricate the wheels of carriages in cold weather, when wheel tar could not be used, as it froze;

5. Vologda - birch, with a small admixture of resin and a greenish-brown color, with its help the lowest grades of leather were made;

6. aspen - aspen bark is used for its production, it has a pungent characteristic smell;

7. tar-distillation, or wind pitch, or shushmin, or half-man, or rug - is a mixture of birch bark tar with pine resin, in the old days such tar was widespread: it was used in the manufacture of leather goods and the construction of buildings, it was used to lubricate the wheels of carts;

8. wheel tar - a product consisting of a mixture of pine resin and refined birch tar;

9. steam, or cauldron - is formed during the distillation of birch bark in cauldrons and subsequent cooling of the steam;

10. Korchazhny - the lowest grade of black color;

11. pitch - the remnants of the distillation of birch tar, to which impurities of spruce and pine resin are mixed;

12. tar-tar - birch and pine blocks are used for its distillation;

13. knee, or knee - the dirtiest and most useless kind of tar, which was obtained by forcing the remains.

As you can see in the old days, there were many varieties of tar that were used in a variety of ways. As chemistry and industry developed, they were superseded by more specialized drugs. At the moment, only tar remained in production and sale as a medical and cosmetic product.

What is tar made of?

It will take several pages to list all the components of tar, as it contains more than 10,000 different substances. Therefore, we will dwell only on the main components, which include phytoncides, alcohols, organic acids, aldehydes, toluene, benzene, phenol, cresol, xylene, guaiacol and resinous substances.

Among the whole variety of components, it is impossible to single out one active substance: the product belongs to drugs that have a complex effect.

Properties

Birch tar has the appearance of a black oily thick liquid, which in reflected light acquires a bluish or bluish-greenish tint.

Concentrated tar is characterized by a specific smell, which, like the taste, is called yuft. Yuft refers to the leather of animals (pigs, horses, cattle) obtained by combined tanning.

Physical properties

Tar is almost insoluble in water and floats on its surface. But alkalis and alcohols can easily dissolve it. Tar can be mixed with chloroform and ether.

The relative density of the substance is 0.925-0.95.

Healing properties

When used externally, tar:

- relieves irritation, itching and inflammation;

- has anesthetic and antiseptic effect;

- promotes healing of wounds and burns;

- stops purulent processes;

- relieves boils and skin fungus;

- normalizes sleep.

If you take tar inside, then it will have a beneficial effect on all systems of the human body:

- activates the immune system;

- will speed up the metabolism;

- will lower blood pressure;

- strengthens the heart muscle.

Until recently, tar was used not only as an external agent, but also for internal use. But studies have shown that in its composition, in addition to useful substances, there are toxins that can harm human health. Therefore, doctors recommend using tar only as an external remedy. Currently, not pure tar is usually used, but pharmacological preparations based on it. Due to cleaning, the concentration of toxins in them is reduced.

But, oddly enough, the toxic substances that make up the tar, in some cases, can become useful. In particular, they have found their application in oncology for the destruction of tumors.

What does tar treat?

Birch tar is known as an irreplaceable remedy in the treatment of dermatological diseases: scabies, psoriasis, scrofula, eczema, smallpox, erysipelas, neurodermatitis, pyoderma, scaly and multicolored lichen, diathesis, athlete's foot, seborrhea, burns, frostbite, bruises, dry corns, trophic ulcers, leprosy, acne and rashes. The agent is used to treat bedsores and restore skin pigmentation. It accelerates the movement of blood, stimulates regenerative processes in cells, and promotes skin rejuvenation.

Until recently, psoriasis was one of the incurable diseases. But the use of ointments and tar compresses gave hope for the discovery of an effective medicine. Research into the properties of the product has shown that it is capable of inhibiting DNA synthesis if there are any defects in it.

But not only for skin ailments, tar will be useful. It will help get rid of tuberculosis, otitis media, tonsillitis, abdominal dropsy, duodenal ulcer, urethritis, night blindness, stomatitis, scurvy, mastitis, mastopathy, bronchial asthma, erosive proctitis, inflammatory diseases of the rectum, hemorrhoids, gangrene, joint diseases , benign and malignant neoplasms, stop bleeding, normalize the functioning of the digestive system.

Another unique property of tar is the ability to inhibit the growth of benign tumor cells, preventing their transformation into malignant neoplasms. Therefore, the product is widely used for mastopathy, ovarian cysts, adenomas, fibroids.

The use of refined tar in oncology departments makes it possible to neutralize the negative effects of chemotherapy.

Basically, skin diseases are treated with highly concentrated unrefined tar. To accelerate the therapy of severe stages of scabies and psoriasis, tar is mixed with sulfur or salicylic acid. An alcohol-based or fat-based product is used in medicine. Tar is the main ingredient in widely used drugs: Vishnevsky and Wilkinson's ointments, tar soap and tar water.

In veterinary medicine, hooves of horses and cattle are treated with tar. With its help, lichens are treated.

Tar in medicine

Tar soap is a soap that contains 10% birch tar. This soap acts as a natural antiseptic for most skin problems. But tar not only disinfects, but also enhances blood flow to the skin, due to which its regeneration is accelerated.

Tar soap is recommended for the treatment of acne, scabies, dandruff, seborrhea, head lice. Will come to the rescue with bedsores, burns, frostbite and calluses. It is enough to smear the problem areas with tar soap before going to bed to soften the calluses by morning.

If you wash dogs and cats with tar soap, the fleas will disappear, since they cannot stand the specific smell of tar.

Dry skin is a contraindication to use. With frequent use, the skin may dry out.

Tar water

Many popular recipes involve the use of tar water. Most often, such a remedy is used to treat children and those people who cannot stand the tar smell.

To prepare tar water, the tar is diluted with boiled water cooled to room temperature in a ratio of 1: 8 and infused for two days. Remove the film from the resulting solution and carefully pour it into another container. Store in the refrigerator. Properly prepared tar water is similar in color to dry white wine.

If possible, then take spring water. In this case, there is no need to boil it.

Tar water restores skin pigmentation, improves the digestive system, heals ulcers in the stomach and duodenum, removes toxins and toxic substances from the body, has a diuretic effect, treats smallpox, erysipelas, scabies, leprosy, sore throat, dropsy, gangrene, tuberculosis, bronchial asthma , acute and chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, constipation, diseases of the intestines, liver, pancreas, diseases of the cardiovascular system, relieves of fever, purulent and suffocating cough.

Adults drink tar water one tablespoon at a time before eating. In case of a severe course of the disease, it is recommended to increase the dosage to 2-3 tablespoons. Children are advised to take 2 teaspoons after meals. With angina, moreover, tar water is used to gargle.

If pigmentation is impaired, the skin is lubricated with tar water.

Pure tar

It is also possible to use pure birch tar.

It is used in the treatment of diseases of the respiratory system, increases the effectiveness of therapy for oncology. Consume 10 drops of tar diluted in 80-100 grams of boiled water 4 times a day.

Tar with milk

To increase the effectiveness of the treatment, the tar is diluted with warm milk. This remedy is recommended for thrombophlebitis, stroke, diabetes mellitus, catarrhal cystitis, malignant neoplasms in the throat, stomach and lungs.

With atherosclerosis, half a teaspoon of tar is diluted in a glass of heated homemade milk. Drink a glass of medicine an hour before meals 3 times a day for 45 days. After a month's pause, the treatment is repeated. It will take 3-4 courses of therapy per year.

With mastopathy, a special treatment regimen is used: 3 drops of tar are added to 50 milliliters of milk for three days, the next 3 days - 5 drops each and the last 3 days - 7 drops each. They drink the medicine 3 times a day. Then a 10-day break is taken and the course is repeated in the reverse order: first, 7 drops are added, then 5 and at the end 3. If necessary, the course is repeated after 2 months.

With tuberculosis, pulmonary emphysema and other infections, the treatment regimen is slightly different: during the first week, 1 drop of tar is added to 50 milliliters of milk, 2 drops are added for the second week, 3 drops in the third, etc., bringing the number of drops to ten. Then take a week break and repeat the course in reverse order, gradually reducing the number of drops.

With diabetes mellitus, thrombophlebitis, stroke, they act according to the previous scheme, but the number of drops is increased daily. There is no need to take a break.

For cancer of the throat and stomach, they start with one drop of tar and gradually bring to twenty. Then they begin to decrease the number of drops.

With infections of the genitourinary sphere, it is enough to increase the intake of tar up to 10 drops.

In the case of cystitis, 5-10 drops of tar are added to a glass of milk. Drink three times a day 20 minutes before eating.

Tar with honey

Tar with bread

In case of skin diseases, ointments will have an effective result. But for different diseases, their composition can differ significantly.

A highly effective therapeutic agent is prepared on the basis of lamb or pork fat: tar is mixed with fat in equal proportions. This ointment is used for skin diseases and for wound healing.

In the presence of pyoderma, ulcers and infected wounds, pure birch tar is mixed with petroleum jelly in a ratio of 1:10.

In psoriasis, the damaged areas are smeared with cleaned tar mixed with birch ash in a 3: 1 ratio.

You can also treat psoriasis with another ointment, for which crushed celandine herb, carrot juice and tar are combined in a 1: 1: 4 ratio.

With demodicosis, an ointment from a mixture of tar and trichopolum will help out.

To cure eczema will help the ointment obtained by mixing 2 tablespoons of tar, a tablespoon of sulfur, a tablespoon of honey, half a tablespoon of beeswax, 4 tablespoons of sunflower oil, a tablespoon of vinegar essence and a tablespoon of copper sulfate. The resulting mixture is heated over low heat for a quarter of an hour.

In the case of a trophic ulcer, compresses are made, moistening the bandage in a product obtained by combining equal parts of tar and Kalanchoe juice. The ulcer will heal in 5-6 days.

Scaly lichen is treated by wrapping compresses from a mixture of tar and fish oil mixed in a 1: 3 ratio to the affected areas for 30 minutes. The procedures are repeated for 10 days.

With epidermophytosis of feet and nails, mycosis of folds, it is best to use 5-10% sulfur-tar ointments.

To destroy boils and abscesses, tar, homemade cream and chicken protein are mixed in equal proportions. Such an ointment can become a worthy replacement for Vishnevsky's liniment. Moreover, it does not corrode the skin.

An ointment made from tar, sulfur and petroleum jelly, mixed in equal proportions, will help to quickly get rid of burns. To increase the effectiveness of the product, it is recommended to replace half of the petroleum jelly with fish oil.

Tar for joints

In case of diseases of the joints, a therapy will have an effective effect, in which the effects of tar and clay alternate: tar softens the salts, and clay pulls them out.

On the first day, the damaged joint is treated with tar and left for 15-20 minutes. After the appearance of a feeling of tingling or tingling, the tar is wiped off with a soft cloth, and after an hour, washed with a washcloth and soap. The next day, a compress of white, blue or red clay is applied to the joint: the clay is diluted with water until it is creamy and the joint is smeared with it, without covering it with anything. The compress is removed if the pain becomes very severe. Then they pause for two days. On the fifth and sixth days, the treatment is resumed, after which they rest for three days. On the tenth and eleventh days, the therapy is repeated.

Tar in pediatric therapy

Tar is also used to treat children.

Diathesis is very common in babies. In such cases, traditional medicine recommends spreading the area of \u200b\u200bthe rash with baby cream or butter, adding a few drops of tar to them.

With a cold, a teaspoon of aniseed fruits is brewed with a glass of boiling water and insisted for half an hour. A drop of tar is added to the strained infusion and the child is given 30 milliliters 3-4 times a day 30 minutes before meals.

Birch tar for hemorrhoids

For patients with hemorrhoids, traditional medicine suggests using effective methods.

Half a red brick is well heated on an electric stove, gas or over an open fire and placed in an empty iron bucket. Then 2-3 drops of tar are dripped onto the brick. They strip the butt and sit on the bucket for 5-20 minutes. Treatment is carried out before bedtime for a week. After the first procedure, the pain will decrease, and after a week the hemorrhagic nodes will disappear.

Steamed a tablespoon of tar with two liters of boiling water. When the solution cools down a little, it is poured into a basin and sits there, wrapped in a blanket to keep warm.

Tar tablets

Another option for degeneration is the use of tablets.

In tuberculosis, tar is mixed with licorice root powder until a thick mass is obtained, with which pills are formed. They drink them 3 times a day for 2 pieces.

For intermittent fever, the tablets are prepared in the same way, but the licorice powder is replaced with quinine bark. They drink 5 tablets three times a day.

Balneotherapy for psoriasis

In addition to using a tar-based ointment, baths will have a significant benefit in psoriasis.

In 100 milliliters of water, 75 milliliters of tar and soapy alcohol are dissolved, added to the bath. Baths are taken within 15-30 minutes.

A few more recipes

Finally, we will offer a few more tools.

For angina, you can mix tar with calendula oil in a 1: 3 ratio and darken the mixture for 40 minutes in a water bath. The medicine is dripped onto the tongue in 5-6 drops and dissolves within 2-3 minutes.

With mastopathy, it is recommended to take a piece of instant sugar and drop a drop of tar on it. Sugar is sucked until it dissolves. Every day, the number of drops is increased, and then they begin to decrease. Take a break for 2-3 months and repeat the course. When starting treatment, you should be patient: it will take up to two years for a full recovery.

A remedy made from tar, lemons and garlic will help get rid of tuberculosis. First of all, take 5 medium lemons and, without peeling, grind them with a meat grinder. Add 4 chopped heads of garlic. Pour the lemon-garlic mixture with a liter of boiled chilled water and leave for 5 days. They are filtering. They drink the medicine three times a day 20 minutes before eating, 15 milliliters each, adding one drop of tar.

For those who suffer from pneumonia, another medicine will come to the rescue. A tablespoon of chopped buds and young birch leaves are poured with a glass of boiling water and insisted for an hour. After straining, add 2-3 drops of tar. They drink 100 milliliters 2-3 times a day 20 minutes before meals.

ATTENTION! ALL OF THE ABOVE MEDICINES BELONG TO FOLK MEDICINE. BEFORE USING THEM, A DOCTOR'S CONSULTATION IS NECESSARY.

Tar in cosmetology

In cosmetology, it is recommended to use tar for seborrhea, dandruff, acne and other rashes, to stimulate hair growth. It is included in many cosmetics: ointments, creams, pastes, soaps, lotions, shampoos. The concentration of tar in the preparations ranges from 1-30%.

Tar for hair

Birch tar can help relieve itching and irritation caused by dandruff and normalize the functioning of the sebaceous glands. It removes the stratum corneum of cells, activates cellular respiration, saturates tissues with oxygen, enhances blood circulation, and starts regeneration processes.

To combat dandruff, as well as to prevent it, it is recommended to combine a tablespoon of tar with two tablespoons of castor oil and dilute the resulting mixture in 100 grams of alcohol. The solution is rubbed into the scalp and left for 2-3 hours.

Another remedy for dandruff: a tablespoon of tar is mixed with three tablespoons of burdock oil and dissolved in a glass of vodka. Rub into the scalp and do not wash off for 2 hours.

To improve the condition of the hair, rinsing with a tar solution obtained with a five-fold dilution of tar with water will help.

Also, to enhance hair growth, you can use a mask of 25 ml of castor oil, 25 ml of calendula tincture and a tablespoon of tar. This mask is applied to the hair for 1 hour and washed off with shampoo.

Tar against acne

Tar will also help those who suffer from frequent acne breakouts and excessive oily skin. It will stop inflammation, relieve irritation, cleanse the skin and make it soft and velvety. For skin care, you can use tar soaps, lotions and masks.

To prepare the lotion, tar is mixed with alcohol (95%) in a ratio of 1:10, and a few drops of salicylic alcohol are added.
For the mask, combine tar and honey in a ratio of 1: 3.

Contraindications

Despite the enormous benefits of tar, not everyone can use it, as it can cause an allergic reaction and even cause dermatitis.

Tar therapy is contraindicated for:

individual intolerance;

any problems with the kidneys, since the medicine heavily loads these organs;

pregnancy and lactation.

To identify the presence of individual intolerance, it is necessary to make a skin test before using the product, smearing the bend of the elbow with tar.

If you use birch tar on large areas of the skin for a long time, then weakness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, disorders of the digestive tract, and seizures may occur.

During the combustion of any organic matter, tar is always formed, which goes into the smoke. Such a product is capable of causing significant harm to humans, entering the body along with the air, as it has a carcinogenic effect. Tar, which is formed during the combustion of combustible fossil materials (for example, oil, coal), is especially dangerous.

It is the 21st century, but despite this, some natural substances and drugs of the "old generation" were, are and will be in active use. Tar should be attributed to such means. What is tar made of? What properties does it possess and are they useful? For what diseases is tar simply irreplaceable? How does it help you become more beautiful? You can find answers to all these questions and many others in the article.

What is tar made of

The production of tar is based on a dry distillation process, in which branches, lumps and peels of certain tree species are involved. For some reason, most people are sure that tar can only be made from birch.

In fact, this is far from the case. Let's dispel this myth once and for all. The only correct answer to the question of what tree the tar is made of is from the bark and wood of any tree belonging to deciduous or coniferous species. Also, coal can become the basis for its manufacture. It is worth noting that both specialized conditions and equipment and home conditions are suitable for cooking tar. In the latter case, the apparatus for the distillation of the original components is made independently.

The healing properties of birch tar

We have already examined what tar is made of, now let's figure out what properties it has. Of course, we will talk about medicinal properties.

So, birch tar is an excellent analgesic, resorption and anti-inflammatory agent that can be used both individually and in combination, for example, as part of a particular drug.

Tar contains a lot of medicinal substances. This led to its use in the course of therapy. Tar helps to stimulate and accelerate the regeneration of the epidermis, improves blood circulation to tissues. It is known in folk and traditional medicine, in cosmetology and even in the construction industry has found its application.

Tar is effective in the treatment of various skin diseases (eczema, erysipelas, seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, folliculitis, scaly lichen, fungal infections, scabies, bedsores, head lice), trophic ulcers and others.

It has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects on burns and wounds of various origins. Dandruff, acne, urolithiasis, digestive disorders, urethritis, bronchial asthma, tonsillitis, acute respiratory infections, mastitis, bleeding and even gangrene - tar will help to say goodbye to all this.

Zeytun soap with tar. Tar is a well-known natural remedy for various skin diseases and inflammations since ancient times.

Probably, the use of one or another type of tar depends on the availability of raw materials. For example, white birch grows only in Russia and in Europe, and even then not in all of them, so in the United States they use mainly coal tar as the most affordable. In Finland, pine is more common for the same reason. Their effectiveness is different.

In places where the harvesting of pure birch bark is limited, birch bark of dead birches, birch deadwood and stumps are used as raw materials for obtaining clean tar. The output of tar from this raw material is much lower, and the quality is worse; nevertheless, such tar is quite suitable for household needs. For the production of "half" tar, birch bark and resin are used as raw materials.

Tar soap works well with acne and pimples, it is recommended for use in eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis, and is also extremely effective for getting rid of dandruff. Olive oil in the composition neutralizes the drying effect of tar, making tar soap suitable for all skin and hair types. It is effectively used to get rid of acne from the skin, relieve inflammation and irritation, cleanse the skin and make it more velvety and tender, increasing blood circulation in tissues, promotes skin rejuvenation, makes hair look healthy and thicker.

The raw material for obtaining tar is the bark of various hardwoods, and pure tar is only birch bark (birch bark). Pine wood is used for the production of resin and turpentine.

Birch bark consists of the top layer, or birch bark proper, bast and inner cambial layer. Birch bark is a corky wood tissue that protects the tree from external adverse influences, and contains fatty substances. The best raw material for tar production is "juice" birch bark, that is, birch bark taken from growing or freshly cut trees. Lower grades of tar are obtained from wastes of the plywood and sawmill industries, birch branches and birch skin.

Botanika essential oil "Birch tar".

Clean or sap birch bark is ripped off without bark (bark) from growing birches or fresh cut birch sawn. Mass harvesting of birch bark is carried out in June and July, and a little earlier in the southern regions. At other times, the birch bark lags badly behind the bast. Therefore, before proceeding with the mass harvesting, you need to make sure on samples that the birch bark can be easily removed. In cases where workers are already at the harvesting site in the forest, and it is still impossible to harvest birch bark, they need to be switched to harvesting birch bark from dead birches, deadwood and stumps, as well as resin, firewood, etc.

The greatest yield of tar is obtained from birch bark, taken from trees of older ages.Therefore, birch bark should be removed, as a rule, from trees with a diameter of at least 12-14 cm.

Tar shampoo "Mirroll" for dandruff. Thanks to the use of a biologically active component - birch tar, which has antimicrobial and disinfectant properties, the shampoo improves skin condition.

When removing birch bark from growing trees, the splint or bark of the birch is often damaged and the tree becomes sick. Therefore, birch bark is usually allowed to be harvested only in those felling areas that are subject to felling in the same or next year. During this time, the tree does not have time to rot and does not lose its ornamental qualities. In some cases, with the permission of the chief forester, it is allowed to harvest birch bark in forests that are not subject to felling. In this case, the harvesting of birch bark should be done very carefully so as not to damage the splint (bark). On the tree from which the birch bark was removed, but the bast was not damaged, after a few years the birch bark, called "double der" or "barma", is restored.

The most convenient tools for harvesting birch bark are a light ax and a cutter. In some cases, a light ax is replaced with special knives. When removing birch bark with a cutter from top to bottom, an incision is made along the tree trunk along the entire length of the removed area. Then a porch is inserted into the slot, which, when moving from the bottom up, separates the birch bark from the splint. Usually, when removed, pieces of birch bark are obtained with a length of 35-70 cm, a width of 20-70 cm. The removed birch bark is collected in packs and folded for drying or withering on wooden lining.

When sidding tar in furnaces, casing, pots and cauldrons, birch bark removed from trees is pre-pressed.Loading compressed birch bark into the tar distillation apparatus speeds up the work and facilitates the work of the gardener. For pressing birch bark, a handicraft lever press is used, known among the degreaters under the name of pulp.

Botanika Natural soap "Birch tar".

Pressing birch bark is performed as follows.

On two thin poles, laid inside along the length of the pulp, pieces of birch bark are placed one on top of the other to a height of 60-70 cm. By pressing the lever, the birch bark is squeezed. Then, in parallel with the lower ones, two poles are placed on top and their ends are tied with knots. As a result, "packs" of birch bark are obtained.

1 m 3 of dried birch bark densely packed in heaps weighs 90-100 kg, and compressed in packs - 140-150 kg.

The labor productivity of workers engaged in the harvesting of birch bark is very different, since it depends on the quality of the cutting area (its purity, density, ripeness of the stand, etc.). Therefore, production rates for harvesting birch bark are set depending on specific conditions. On average, labor costs for harvesting a ton of birch bark are: a) juice 12-15 man-days, b) from deadwood 15-20 man-days and c) when debarking birch firewood 10-12 man-days.

The capacity of tar production should be determined primarily by the availability of raw materials.

From 1 hectare of cutting area with an average stock of 100 m3 birch bark can be harvested from 0.8 to 1.2 tons of sap birch bark. no more than 330 kg of birch tar.

Wood tar, oils obtained from wood tar, whether or not decreeosotized, and wood creosote.

1. Wood tar is released from wood (coniferous or other species) during carbonization in kilns (eg Swedish or Stockholm tar) or during distillation in retorts or furnaces (distilled tar). The latter can be obtained directly by settling subsurface liquids (sedimentary tars) or by distilling subsurface liquids in which they were partially dissolved (dissolved tar). Partially distilled tars, from which some volatile oils are removed by further distillation, are also classified in this heading. All these degas are complex mixtures of hydrocarbons, phenols or their homologues, furfural, acetic acid, and various other products.

Unlike tar obtained from non-resinous wood, tar obtained from resinous wood also contains products distilled from the resin itself (terpenes, resin oils, etc.); they are viscous products of various colors, from brownish-orange to brown. They are used (after simple dehydration or partial distillation immediately upon receipt) mainly for the impregnation of ship ropes, as plasticizers in rubber production, in the preparation of mastic, in medicine, etc.

Tar, obtained from non-resinous woods, is a thick brownish-black liquid that is mainly used for the production of distillation or other means of a wide range of by-products (wood creosote, guaiacol, etc.). The heading also covers the essential oil of juniper, also known as juniper tar, which is used in medicine and in the manufacture of soap.

2. Oils obtained from wood tar are obtained by the distillation of wood tar. Light oils (containing aliphatic hydrocarbons, terpenes and higher ketones) are used in the manufacture of solutions for washing sheep and spraying liquids for gardens, heavy oils (containing aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, higher ketones and higher phenols) are used to impregnate wood and to extract wood creosote. Decreeosoted oils obtained after the extraction of creosote are used according to their characteristics for ore beneficiation by flotation, for the manufacture of fungicides, as solvents, as fuel, etc.

3. Wood creosote is one of the main components of wood tar. Usually it is obtained by distillation of tar obtained from non-resinous wood, followed by its isolation from the corresponding fraction with sodium hydroxide, re-acidification and re-distillation. It is a colorless liquid that stains on exposure to air and light, has a smoke smell, is a caustic liquid and is used, in particular, as a disinfectant and antiseptic. It should not be confused with creosote oil or mineral creosote.

Vegetable pitch

It represents the remnants of the distillation process or other processing of plant materials. This includes:

1. Wood pitch (wood tar pitch), the residue of the distillation of wood tar.

2. Rosin pitch, the residue after obtaining rosin alcohol and rosin oil by distillation of rosin.

3. Sulphate pitch, residue from the distillation of tall oil, etc. These pitches are usually blackish-brown, reddish-brown or yellowish-brown in color. They are usually softened by the warmth of the hand. Depending on the type, they are used for caulking ships, for applying a waterproof layer on fabrics, for impregnating wood, for obtaining anticorrosive coatings, as bonding materials, etc.

In general ... tar is a kind of "burnt" product(strong heating without air access, dry distillation). The ointment with its addition sometimes smells like burnt plastic (I remember, my friends who were especially sensitive to odors were asked who burned the comb). And the hair after a tar-containing mask, if not rinsed properly with sour water, smells like an ashtray.

Every person had to hear about tar, including modern city dwellers, who are very far from nature. But not everyone will be able to say what it is, where it is mined from, and even more so how tar is made. We will try to fill this knowledge gap.

What is tar?

To begin with, tar is a liquid product - in most cases, tree resin. Its composition is very complex. It largely depends on how the tar was made and what raw material it was extracted from - we will talk about this a little later. May contain benzene, phenol, a number of resins, toluene, cresol, guaiacol and other complex components.

It practically does not dissolve in water, since it has a lower density, spreading over the surface. But in alcohol and alkali it dissolves rather quickly, often losing some of its original properties.

Types of tar

Depending on the raw material used in the extraction of a substance, its properties seriously change. In general, classic tar is extracted from birch bark, less often from pine. This raw material has served for many centuries to extract a valuable substance used in various spheres of human life.

Relatively recently, many methods have been developed for the industrial extraction of tar from peat, oil and even coal. True, despite the external similarity, their properties are very different, as well as the composition. Some can be used as medicines, while others are openly poisonous, extremely dangerous to human health.

Tar in cosmetics and medicine

Many of our compatriots, not even knowing how to make tar, actively use it. After all, today it is difficult to surprise someone with soap or shampoo with tar. It really has a beneficial effect, often helps to get rid of dandruff and other unpleasant skin diseases. Moreover, this is not at all a find of recent years. Our ancestors hundreds of years ago knew how to extract tar and apply it correctly to become more attractive.

Tar has become even more widespread in medicine. Both the pure substance and its individual components are used. For example, without it, it is impossible to get the well-known ointments - Vishnevsky and Wilkinson.

Tar is often used in our time in the treatment of lichens, processing hooves of pigs, cows, horses.

In what other areas is it used?

However, tar is used not only in medicine and cosmetics. In fact, the scope is much wider.

For example, it is used in gardening - processing trees and shrubs can reliably protect plants from many insects and rodents.

It is often used for processing leather goods, mainly footwear. It is no coincidence that in many old films you can see how they are smeared with tar. True, it is impossible to see how tar is mined in films, although many would be very interested.

Experienced tourists know very well that by mixing tar with any cream in a 1: 4 ratio, you can get an excellent repellent. It has a long shelf life and lasts many hours after application. Only after you wash off the repellent, insects (from mosquitoes to taiga gnats) will again pose a danger to you.

Creosote, which is used to treat wooden sleepers when laying railways, is also a kind of tar. Like its natural counterpart, it forms a thin film on the surface, which, on the one hand, repels moisture, and on the other hand, prevents the development of bacteria that provoke rotting.

Finally, many horse and cart owners in the countryside are well acquainted with this indispensable substance. So that the wheels do not creak and wear less, the axle is lubricated with tar. With prolonged use, leather harness can dry out, crack, and then tear. To prevent this from happening, it is also covered with tar. On the one hand, it permeates the skin, makes it more elastic, and on the other hand, prevents drying out.

Tar harm

Any tar poses a certain danger. Even pure birch applied to the skin of the face can lead to various problems. But those obtained by a complex chemical method are much more dangerous. For example, tar extracted from oil is hazardous even during normal storage. It is enough to inhale the fumes emanating from it to get serious poisoning.

Therefore, you should handle it as carefully as possible. As mentioned above, when applied to the face, natural wood tar must be diluted with any cream. Then it lasts for a very long time, acquires a pleasant smell and at the same time does not cause skin problems. Well, most people are not familiar with complex chemical analogues. The one who comes across at work, and so perfectly knows the rules of safe handling.

How to get it?

Now you know enough about what tar is, how to use it correctly. So, you can tell how tar is made.

As an example, consider the simplest option that does not require special knowledge, skills, rare raw materials and expensive equipment. At the same time, at the exit you can get environmentally friendly and the safest raw materials.

So how do you get birch tar?

First you need birch bark or birch bark. It is easy enough to collect it in almost any deciduous forest. True, this should be done carefully - it is better to remove a little bark from a dozen birches than to peel one - in this case, the tree will be doomed to death.

It is advisable to remove the bark with not too wide (about 3-5 centimeters) long strips. When you have enough, you can proceed to the next step. To do this, you will need several cans of canned food - they are almost always available on a hike. Yes, and along the picturesque banks of rivers and lakes, alas, you can almost always recruit in sufficient quantities.

You will need three cans: two high and one low, wide. It is most convenient to work with this. Start with a wide one. Bend the bottom a little - just press with your palm or a stone - and then make several small holes in it with a knife.

Then place the birch bark as tightly as possible in one of the free jars. Dig a small hole, preferably in wet sand or earth. Put a flat jar in it so that the concave side with holes looks down into the buried jar. Now carefully bury them so that only one plane with holes remains on the surface. Place a jar on it with the birch bark open side down. Fix (you can also dig a little) and build a small fire on top. Due to the lack of air, birch bark will not ignite, but will simply heat up, releasing valuable tar. It will flow down and end up in an empty can, buried at the very bottom.

As you can see, the mechanism is quite simple and can be applied in any conditions.

Conclusion

Our article has come to an end. Now you know how to make birch tar at home, more precisely, camping. This means you can get rid of mosquitoes in nature, take care of leather shoes and cope with many other tasks thanks to the multifunctional tar.

Tar, especially from pine and birch, has long found the widest application in economic, medical and cosmetic purposes, therefore its industrial production is traditionally in demand. But since it is not difficult to make birch tar yourself, you can extract it yourself in small quantities if you need it.

Tar, or wood resin, is a product of thermal decomposition (pyrolysis) of complex organic components of wood and bark into more molecularly simple components. It is a viscous, with an unforgettable smell, a mass that is easily diluted with alcohol and alkali, but with water it is bad, since water is heavier. The liquid consists of cresol, phenol, guaiacol, toluene, benzene, resins, xylene and other substances.

How to make tar yourself

To get good tar at home, you need to find the right raw materials. It should be borne in mind that birch and pine products have different properties and applications with the same mining principle.

To obtain a birch mass, there is a birch with an abundance of fresh birch bark, which must be carefully separated without damaging the lower layers - otherwise the tree is doomed to dry out. You should not take a lot of birch bark from one trunk, it is better to choose a grove with many trees and take a little from each. Dry raw materials are not suitable - you need fresh birch bark. The collected bark is rolled up tightly.

To obtain a pine product, any part of the wood with bark is taken, which then has to be thoroughly chopped.

To melt the tar you will need:

large capacity for raw materials;
a container with a smaller diameter and volume for collecting the flowing liquid;
a lid for a large container;
tightly closed container for the finished liquid;
clay mass or dough;
oppression.

Advice! Pots, cast iron, large cans are suitable as containers.

Obtaining by melting the resin is a fairly easy process.

In a large container, where the raw materials are placed, a round hole with a nickel or several holes is made.
A hole is dug in the soil with a depth equal to the height of the smaller vessel.
A small container is installed in the pit, a large one is installed on it, but so that its walls are above the pit.
A clay mass or a simple dough is applied to the joints in order to exclude the release of volatile mixtures - the basis for obtaining a full-fledged product.
A large vessel is filled with tamped wood or tightly twisted birch bark, covered with a lid, the edges are likewise coated with dough or clay.
A weighty oppression is placed on top.
A medium-intensity flame is developed around the towering container, which must be maintained for approximately 3 hours.

Note! Heating a layer of clay or dough will dry, crack and fall off in pieces. Therefore, you need to have a fresh batch on hand in order to close up the damaged areas in time, otherwise the mass will not be of sufficient quality.

After cooling, it remains to disassemble this structure, remove a smaller container, where the liquid mass has flowed down, and pour it into a prepared vessel for further storage. The yield from 10 kg of raw material is approximately 200 ml of tar.

What is the difference between birch and pine tar

From what to get wood resin - from pine or birch, depends on the purpose of using the product, since they have significant differences.

Pine tar is sticky in appearance, dark, aromatic. In the old days, wood and floating means, rigging and carts were impregnated with it from moisture. Today its scent is popular in steam rooms and saunas, it is added to some varieties of confectionery, meat products and alcoholic beverages, perfumes, wood paint and cosmetics.

Birch resinous mass, on the contrary, has a sharply repulsive odor that can penetrate into nearby products and objects. It looks almost black, oily, devoid of stickiness. A characteristic feature is a bluish-greenish overflow of a dense mass. The saying "A fly in the ointment in a barrel of honey" undoubtedly refers to the birch variety.

The use of varieties of tree resin also varies. The birch product is used:

as a cheap lubricant;
when impregnating wooden products and parts;
with protective lubrication of leather shoes;
in the fight against pests of agricultural plants;
when protecting tree trunks from damage;
as a repellent;
in folk and official medicine as an internal and external healing agent of bactericidal action, it is included in the famous Vishnevsky ointment;
in veterinary medicine - heals lichen and protects horse hooves;
in cosmetology in the production of tar soap, shampoo.

Pine mass is traditionally used: