Long thin fibers

[anglobow]

I believe Otzi's arrows were bound with some sort of animal hair. Horse hair has a breaking point of around 5 lbs, I once read.

[david w.]

I have corded yucca and it is very strong. i wouldnt hesitate to use it

[RidgeRunner]

This past weekend I went looking for long thin fibers.
Yucca, elm bark, mulberry bark, horse hair, milkweed and dogbane were all looked at.

I settled on dogbane.  It is still (very) green this time of year, but I cut 5 - 4 foot stalks anyway.
I was able to peel out sections of the inner fibers that were about 1/10 of an inch wide as thin as two sheets of paper and three glorious feet long.
These were, as individuals, twisted into a round cords and allowed to dry.

After they were dry a needle was used to lace them up through the feathers.
The ends of the lashings will be tied down with my second binding of sinew over the ends of the feathers.

That should hold them.

David
David

[GregB]

Leapingbare was trying to describe Dogbane to me and I'm pretty sure I know what it is...anyone have a picture?

[leapingbare]

here this is what it looks like.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[RidgeRunner]

Greg:

How often do you get into the City of Nashville?  Just north of the airport on Elm Hill Pike to be presice.

There is quite a bit of Dogbane and Milkweed growing on the north side of Elm Hill Pike between McGavock Pike and Donelson Pike.

Best I remember there was a good size patch of Dogbane at the intersection where Old Elm Hill turns north off of Elm Hill.

Once you know what you are looking for it is easy to spot.

Dogbane and Milkweed both have sticky white sap.  Dogbane has radish colored branched stalks and yellow looking leaves.
Milkweed has green straight stalks and much larger leaves.

I spent four weeks up there last year.

David

[cowboy]

That sounds cool David. Can you not post pictures? I'd like to see your handywork .

[RidgeRunner]

Hay Paul:

Good to here from you.  Where is the next water tank?

My home computer is belly-up right now.  I am posting this from work.
I have never been very good with computers any way so it going to take someone else to fix it.

Posting pictures is something that requires to many clicks and such.  It will take me some time to get all of that figured out.
Once my home computer is running again I will work on posting pictures.

David

[GregB]

That's not what I thought it was...and from that picture I can't recall seeing it before (dogbane). Milkweed I know when I see it...I guess it works as well.

Don't get to Nashville often...

Greg

[GregB]

I just googled dogbane and found examples of it and other cordage plants. What I had thought Leapingbare was describing turned out to be bullthistle...another good cordage plant I understand. I'm still not sure if I've seen dogbane from the pictures...will have to be on the lookout for it.

[cowboy]

Ahh, think I remember you telling me about that computer thing David. Hope you can get it fixed soon. I'm in Houston at the moment and man it's hot, off to MS next. I found a plant here that seems to work for cordage, was picking milkweed and thought I'd try it out. May post a pic - see if anyone knows what it is..

[RidgeRunner]

Milkweed and Dogbane often grow in the same area so it might be Dogbane.

Please post a pic of it.

David

[cowboy]

Here we go - has anyone seen this plant? .

[attachment deleted by admin]

[RidgeRunner]

I dont have a clue what that is.

David

[Pat B]

Do the leaves curl up when you touch them? If so the common name is "sensative Plant". I believe it is in the mimosa family.  I could be completely out of the ball park, though.     Pat