Increment Borer
Dublin Core
Title
Increment Borer
Description
A vintage increment borer once used for dendrochronology in the forest of Nehasane Camp, New York. The borer is made up of three parts: the handle, the bit, and the extractor.
An increment borer is a dendrochronology tool used to extract tissue from a living tree while causing minimal damage to the tree itself. The core sample extracted by the borer can be used to count the number of growth rings the tree has, thus revealing its age. Increment borers are one of the most common methods used to determine the ages of especially old standing trees.
This particular borer is stamped with its maker's mark: "Keuffel & Esser Co. / New York / and Mattson / Mora / Sweden."
An increment borer is a dendrochronology tool used to extract tissue from a living tree while causing minimal damage to the tree itself. The core sample extracted by the borer can be used to count the number of growth rings the tree has, thus revealing its age. Increment borers are one of the most common methods used to determine the ages of especially old standing trees.
This particular borer is stamped with its maker's mark: "Keuffel & Esser Co. / New York / and Mattson / Mora / Sweden."
Creator
Keuffel & Esser Co.
Date
Ca. 1905
Rights
Owned by the Webb family. Housed by Adirondack Experience: The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake.
Format
Steel and brass, length 11.25 inches, diameter 1 inch.
Language
Engravings on the borer are in English.
Type
Physical object, increment borer
Coverage
Nehasane Camp, New York.
Citation
Keuffel & Esser Co., “Increment Borer,” Omeka, accessed February 6, 2026, https://omeka.ischool.utoronto.ca/items/show/289.