Tortured trees and knives.

[eveled]

Torturing trees is a long term hobby of mine. What I mean is twisting braiding shaping them then watching them grow.

Sometimes it is just to see what happens, or to turn a bushy bunch of stalks into a more single trunk tree. Sometimes I train just one branch to make a walking stick out of someday.

They can be beautiful especially in the fall and winter with the leaves out of the way.

This thread is for pictures of those tortured trees and bonus for knife content. It doesn’t have to be one you did. It can also be one Mother Nature did without help.

I also think it’s neat when the roots are all wrapped around rocks, or when branches come back together and make a hole.

 

[eveled]

Here is my latest creation taken this morning. It was 5 branches growing out of a single small sapling stump I cut down a couple years ago.
I’ll probably go back and add some zip ties to hold it together.

Now is the right time to braid them when they are green and growing and the most pliable. So start one of your own and post a picture.

In the fall you pick out any dead branches but leave the braiding for the following spring.

 

[eveled]

Here is one I’ve been working on for years. It came home in a bucket 20 years ago. Was growing like a bush I turned it into a tortured tree. You can see a piece of 1/2” copper pipe I use to hold it up. But now I can’t get the pipe out.

I’m not sure what it is, it flowers in the spring and is gorgeous for about 2 weeks, then gives tons of berries the birds love. It has distinct little branches that only grow about an inch long almost like thorns would. These thorn branches seem to help hold the branches in place when you braid them.

 

[Owen K.]

This is really neat. As long as it doesn't kill the trees I don't see a problem with it. I find your art beautiful, not only because of the overall look, but of how many years it took to make. Cheers, and torture on.

 

[Planterz]

The landscapers for my apartment complex continually prune the mesquite trees, which irks me because the new branches that spring up every year provide cover for the critters that live on it.

 

[abcdef]

That braiding idea is strange but interesting. Too bad I didn't think of it long ago when I grew up playing in the woods.

 

[CVamberbonehead]

Whats the knife in your pictures OP?

 

[eveled]

It’s a Randall model 1 7”carbon steel blade. With stacked leather commando handle from a model 2

 

[eveled]

This is really neat. As long as it doesn't kill the trees I don't see a problem with it. I find your art beautiful, not only because of the overall look, but of how many years it took to make. Cheers, and torture on.

Thankyou. I don’t consider mine art, not when some people are able to do this.

 

[WValtakis]

There's a whole theme park devoted to this somewhat local to me, called the Gilroy Gardens (formerly Bonfante Gardens)...very cool stuff

 

[eveled]

WValtakis i had seen pictures of a lot of those but did not realize they were all in one place. Thanks for bringing it to my attention I’d love to visit there someday.

 

[eveled]

Picking blue berries for breakfast, and found this pine tree with a bent trunk. Don’t know how it happened? Too bad it’s a soft wood, but I may still try to make a cane out of it, someday.

 

[eveled]

Check out the root system on this tree on a city sidewalk. On the right you can see a sign post that the root has grown around. I bet you could make a cool coffee table out of that root.

Now is the time of year to get good pictures of these weird trees. Post em if you can.

 

[Sharp & Fiery]

A few photos of natural torture from mother nature in SA.

 

[Billy The Blade]

View attachment 1366990 ...Was growing like a bush I turned it into a tortured tree. You can see a piece of 1/2” copper pipe I use to hold it up. But now I can’t get the pipe out.
It has distinct little branches that only grow about an inch long almost like thorns would. These thorn branches seem to help hold the branches in place when you braid them.

-Looks pretty cool...
and kinda spooky, like one of the 'Twisted Limbs'
is gonna reach out & grab you, and pull you in
...Damn good thing you've gotta Knoife
B.T.B.

 

[eveled]

duplicate.

 

[eveled]

Found a new fishing spot this morning complete with a tortured tree! I guess someone else has the same hobby I do.View attachment 1582255

 

[killgar]

Cool stuff.

Although not done intentionally, I get a kick out of trees "swallowing" man-made stuff like in these pics-

 

[eveled]

K killgar Those are great! I saw a documentary one time Johnny Cash was back at his childhood neighborhood. The tire they had used for home plate was encircling a tree and about 3 feet off the ground.

 

[Alberta Ed]

View attachment 1366991 View attachment 1366988 View attachment 1366989 View attachment 1366990 Here is one I’ve been working on for years. It came home in a bucket 20 years ago. Was growing like a bush I turned it into a tortured tree. You can see a piece of 1/2” copper pipe I use to hold it up. But now I can’t get the pipe out.

I’m not sure what it is, it flowers in the spring and is gorgeous for about 2 weeks, then gives tons of berries the birds love. It has distinct little branches that only grow about an inch long almost like thorns would. These thorn branches seem to help hold the branches in place when you braid them.

In a (semi) related note, aboriginal peoples would insert a stone hatchet blade in a split branch, then wait a few years. Once the tree had grown around the blade, it would be cut free and the blade would be as secure as possible.