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After watching your dogbane fiber demo, I wonder, is it possible to made cordage from corn husks (or maybe the stalks?) and how do you extract the fibers? I recently learned to use a drop spindle and would love to learn how to spin corn fibers.
Thank you.
Peni Jo Renner
Hi Peni;
Certain plant and animal fibers will work well with the drop spindle. The fibers should be fine and flexible, like cotton, dogbane, flax or wool. Short fibers should be able to bind onto itself, like the fibers in cotton and wool.
Corn husks can be made into cordage. You'll have to strip them into long thin pieces, then twist it into cordage. The corn husks are short, so you'll have to do a lot of splicing. Hydrate the corn husks first with water to make it pliable, then strip them before plying. In my opinion, corn husks don't work well with the drop spindle. The material is too short and it requires a lot of work stripping. But, experiment and give it a try.
Good luck on your project,
Dino Labiste
Good morning. My name is Joey Allen of Stillwater Nevada. I was researching decoys via the Yahoo search engine and found an excerpt from your work here: http://www.primitiveways.com/tule_ethnobotany.html
I have been a decoy maker since 1993. My cousin, Martin George, Grandson of Jimmy and Wuzzie George, was my teacher. We are from Stillwater, Nevada, a community just outside the city of Fallon. The article states that the decoys are from California. I am unaware of any California Indians who are decoy makers. Martin George's mother was from Woodford California, but the decoys are native to the Stillwater area.
I'm not sure if other information is correct. Martins brother Davin was another maker of the decoys. Their father Ivan had also made decoys for sale. The Ivan George decoys are fairly rare and if you are in possession of one you are truly fortunate.
If you have any questions, you can contact me. You can also call the Churchill County Museum for further verification of the information. They have examples of decoy makers and tule technology from Nevada's prehistory.
Thank you for your time.
Joey, thanks for the information. I'm happy to know that descendants of the George family are still making decoys. I have a Daven George decoy in my collection, and the park where I worked (now retired) has one by Darren George, if I remember right. The decoys I make are roughly based on these models. We also have the photos of Jimmy George making a decoy which he covers with a duck skin from `Survival Arts of the Primitive Paiutes' by Margaret Wheat. I have also seen decoys found in a dry cave (I believe it was Lovelock) in Nevada, and replicas made by a friend of mine - Jim Riggs - in the museum in Bend, OR. Where I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, the only evidence is references to decoys `stuffed with tules' at a lake here in Fremont. There are also drawings of decoys from other parts of the state. The only details I could find clear enough to make a model were the ones from your family. Nevada and California seem to share some similar technologies, and a linguistics expert studying our Ohlone people's language found evidence that they originally came from Nevada, so may have brought the decoy technology with them. Because the Ohlone people were heavily missionized soon after contact, relatively little of their material culture survived. In my efforts to provide students with a complete picture, and where there is evidence for use of a tool but no archaeological or ethnological samples, I have to go to the nearest neighbors of the Ohlone who can provide me with samples to copy. With duck decoys, the nearest neighbors were the Paiute because, as you note, there are no California Indians still making tule decoys today (unless they are also copying the George family samples). When teaching I always try and remember to credit the source of the model. One of these days I'll try to get by the Churchill Museum to check on their collection.
Hope this helps clear things up,
Norm Kidder
Howdy,
I enjoyed your article about making shellfish hooks and just wanted to send some observations to you. I am a commercial fisherman in California and fish using longlines and up to 3,000 hooks at a time. All of my hooks are circle hooks, most fishermen gave up the traditional "J" hook years ago. Now, only sport fishermen use them. The small gap at the mouth of the hook you wrote about is very important, too large and the fish will fall off. Circle hooks are designed to rotate in the mouth of the fish as it turns and swims away with the bait. The line ends up in the corner of the mouth, and as the hook reaches the corner of the mouth, the hook slips around the lip. The small gap is just big enough for it fit at the corner of the mouth and to get bait on. Halibut fishermen using "J" hooks could expect two fish for 90 hooks in the old days. After switching to circle hooks, the numbers went up to the hundreds of fish and thousands of pounds. Mustad fishing supplies claims to have invented the circle hook, but as your article shows, they were not the first people making these great hooks.
Thanks for a great article.
Warren DeWolfe
Hello Warren,
What a great thing to hear about your first hand experience. I love to fish, but only have done sport fishing. Your description of how the circle hook works sounds intriguing. I am sure the size and species of the fish is critical in determining the optimal hook size and hook gap. Can you give me any information on the size of your longline hooks as they apply to fish species and size caught? I'm particularly interested in the hook gap and if your hooks are offset at all. On my hooks, there is no offset. One is 2.7 cm diameter and the other two are 3.5 cm. The gap measures 0.6 cm on each of the 3 hooks even though one is smaller than the other two. I'm curious how they compare to your hooks, and if you see them as effective for any specific fish species.
I recently took the hooks I made out on a trip to the Farallons and only caught rock fish on my conventional J hooks ( 2-7 lb Strawberry cod spp). The Chumash hooks found by archeologists have a variety of gaps and sizes. I am thinking, my lack of success could be in the hook size, the hook gap, or the manner of attaching bait. Without a barb, baiting the shell hook is a challenge. Then too, perhaps I was pursuing the wrong fish species. Any ideas?
Thank you for taking the time to write, and for sharing your experience. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
Susan Labiste
Howdy,
I'm interested in making my own dugout canoe. It seems that at this point, obtaining the log is the most difficult step. I live in San Antonio, Texas, so finding a log of the appropriate size will be difficult. Would you happen to know where I could go about getting the right size/type log for making a canoe in Texas? Thanks.
Best Regards,
Jorge Garza
Hi Jorge;
Look along creeks or rivers. Drive in the county and look for a downed tree. Ask property owners permission to access their land and cut down a tree. Put an ad in the Craigslist.com website to see if someone has a downed tree on their property. Look for a wood easy to hollow out like cottonwood. Remember, it is hard to move a large log or dugout. It is best if it is cut right next to water.
Bob Gillis
Hello, my name is Thad Beckum and I would like to make a wild turkey decoy from the skin of the bird! What do you think would be the best way to preserve this skin so that I could pull it over a mold. I have a lot of soft lightweight wood in my area that could be carved into a nice turkey shape. If I scrape the fat from the skin and degrease, what would be the best natural way to make sure that this will last me awhile.
I have done a good bit of braintanning, but have never worked with bird skins! Could I simply use punky wood and smoke it enough to preserve it. If I could preserve it, I may consider gluing it down on the mold with animal glue, like putting a snake skin on the back of a bow!
I do not want to use borax, even if it is natural. It is not available here, only if you buy it.
I am trying to make this decoy for a TV show that will be filmed in the spring. I will be hunting with primitive archery dressed in my braintan buckskin. I will be hunting with the men at the NWTF and this will air on the Outdoor Channel!
I would like to handle this skin as little as possible so that the feathers do not get out of shape! I would appreciate any help you could give!
Thanks,
Thad
Hi Thad;
Borax would work well for preserving the skin/feathers and keeping any tiny organisms from feastng on your feather and skin. But, if you don't want to use Borax, then another alternative is a salt solution. You mentioned that you did not want the feathers to get out of shape. If you use the salt solution, the feathers will get matted. After it dries, you will have to hand preen the feathers back into shape. It will not be as pristine as it originally was, but it can be fluffed back into shape.
The salt solution basically preserves the skin from organisms that like to feed on your skin and feathers. If you decide to do the salt solution, here it is:
Use a trough or plastic bin large enough to hold your turkey skin and feathers. Fill it with enough hot water to cover your turkey skin and feathers (I'll refer to "turkey skin and feathers" as TS&F from now on). DO NOT put the TS&F in the container yet. Pour salt (regular salt from the supermarket or grocery store) into the hot water and stir until the salt dissolves completely. Depending on how much water you have, it will take a good amount of salt to create the solution. Don't ask me how much salt is needed because I have never measured the amount I use when I preserve duck skins with feathers. I keep pouring salt into the hot water until it doesn't dissolve anymore. Sorry, but that's the best I can tell you about measurement.
After you feel it has enough salt in the water, let the solution cool to the touch before putting in your TS&F. If your solution is still hot and you put your TS&F in, the feathers will slip off the skin. I would let the TS&F sit in the solution for 2 weeks. The whole TS&F should be submerged in the salt solution. Gently weigh it down with something if it floats to the surface. After 2 weeks, take it out of the salt solution, thoroughly rinse it with fresh water and let it dry in the sun. Any matted feathers will have to be hand preened to get it back to looking good. A blow dryer set on cold air will also help fluff up the downy feathers.
You'll have to decide whether this method of preservation will work for your needs, since you do not want to get the feathers out of shape. I would recommend experimenting with a small chicken skin with feathers or just do a variety of feathers, like the primary, secondary wing feathers, down feathers and breast feathers to see if you can get it back to it's original shape after soaking it in the salt solution.
I hope this info is of some use.
Regards,
Dino Labiste
Dear Mr. Labiste,
I really enjoyed your video about starting fires with the spindle method. You and others on Youtube make it look easy. I have noticed that most of the primitive pyromaniacs (consider that a complement) come from the southwest where the humidity is dry. I live in Marquette, Michigan where we have high humidity. Have you ever tried to start a fire outside of the southwest. I assume the dry air is an advantage.
So far, all I can do is create a lot of smoke. I have used a variety of spindles: cattail, mullein, and cedar with hearth boards of basswood and cedar. I have used the hand drill method, the bow method, and even cheated using a drill press at different speeds. All I can do is make a lot of black dust and smoke but no coals, which makes me
wonder about the humidity.
I would appreciate any information you might have concerning the humidity in the air.
Larry Buege
Hi Larry;
Humidity can be a factor. I would also look at your equipment. The V-shaped notch on your hearthdboard has to be wide enough to accept your char (the fine dust that results from grinding the spindle and hearthboard together). Is your char swirling around the top of the hole and not falling into the notch? Sometimes when people get more smoke and no lighted ember, it's because they are burning off the accumulated dust on top of the hole before it gathers in the notch. Widen your notch on the hearthboard. Also, the point of your V-shaped notch should go about half way into the hole on the hearthboard. I would also recommend removing the bark on your spindle and heardboard. You want char that is as fine as flour. The outer bark tends to create coarse char that becomes difficult to ignite.
Go slowly at first to warm up your spindle and hearthboard. Accelerate to a moderate speed, while applying downward pressure, to next acquire your char in the notch. When you see enough char accumulating in the notch, increase your DOWNWARD PRESSURE and SPEED to ignite the char. If you stop because you are tired, leave the spindle in the hearthboard hole. Don't take the spindle out. If you have fine dust in the hearthboard notch, there might be enough heat from your efforts on the spindle tip to light the char. Gently wave your hand back and forth over the char to feed it some oxygen. When you see smoke wafting from the char, you have a lighted ember.
Due to the early morning fog in my area (I live next to a bay), I usually keep my hand drill spindle and my hearthboard wrapped in leather to keep it as dry as possible. I also do the same for my tinder. Most of the time, modern practioners don't realize that primitive tools had to be prepared and stored properly to provide for optimum success. Today, people often think only in terms of "survival skills", gathering what they can find immediately, without any preparation or afterthought. It's good to have that knowledge in case you ever need it. But if one is to live or replicate the primitive lifestyle, one should be prepared to have a high percentage of success. Tools should be functional. Our paleo-ancestors were knowledgeable and well prepared for living their lifestyle many thousand of years ago.
Good luck on your pyro endeavors. Let me know if you get any positive results.
Regards,
Dino Labiste
We have ignition! Thank you. I widened my notch and was able to make coals using a mullein spindle and a basswood hearthboard. I used a bow instead of a hand drill, but I'm sure the principle is the same.
Thanks again for your time,
Larry Buege
Hi Larry;
Good to hear you got success. It's those little nuances that make it happen.
Regards,
Dino Labiste
(pertaining to the article entitled, "Antler Handle Knife")
For the antler hilted knives, is it necesary to use creek or rain water? There's not many bodies of water where I'm from.
Matt
Hi Matt;
The reason for creek or rain water is to have bacterial activity in the water. The bacteria starts to decompose organic material. In the case of the antler, the bacteria starts to soften the pithy portion of the antler. In my area, our drinking water is treated with chlorine, which inhibits bacteria.
You can still use tap water. Just put some dirt in the water. The dirt will add all the bacteria you will need to complete the process of softening the pithy area of the antler.
A word of advice: When attaching the tang portion of the knife blade to the antler, go slow and don't rush the process. Sometimes people are too anxious to get the job done quickly and tend to force the tang into the antler by bending the tang from side to side. You will either break the tang or bend the blade. Be aware of what you want to accomplish and don't let your anger control what you want to do. If the tang is not going into the antler, analyze the problem and don't deal with it emotionally. The reason I am telling you this, is that people have broken their knife blade due to bad judgement during the insertion process. "Go slow and think about what you are going to do before you do it". Also, be sure the pithy area is soft enough to accept the tang. I've given people "words of advice" in the article to be aware of any possible problems.
Good luck on your knife project.
Regards,
Dino Labiste
Hi,
I was looking through the wonderful gallery on the PrimitiveWays website and came across this picture:
http://www.primitiveways.com/Images2/acorn_leaching.jpg
I hope I understand the picture in the first place. Is the material in the centre of the leaves the acorn mix?
I'd be very thankful if you could explain to me how this leaching process works. I do not know that much about acorn preparation and have only ever seen them leached through a synthetic bag in a stream.
Thank you for your help!
The PrimitiveWays website really is excellent. Keep it up!
Jon
Hello Jon;
Acorns contain tannic acid and have to be leached before eating. Tannins, which are plant polyphenols, interfere with our ability to metabolize protein. The amount of tannins vary with the different acorns.
Here is a condensed version of the acorn leaching process:
1. Acorns are dried in the shell.
2. Acorns are shelled. There are different species of oak. If the acorn you are using has a skin on the nut (similar to the skin on a peanut), that has to be removed before grinding.
3. Acorn nuts are ground into VERY FINE flour. The finer, the faster the leaching of the tannins.
4. The photo you are referring to only shows one method of leaching acorn: A sand basin is created. The sand basin is lined with overlapping grape leaves. The acorn flour is spread over the grape leaves.
5. A cedar bough is placed over the flour to evenly disperse the flow of water into the flour.
6. The water leaches the tannins out of the acorn flour as it slowly percolates. Allow the water to disperse into the sand, then continue leaching with more water.
8. After the 3rd or 4th leaching of water, taste the acorn. There should be no bitterness when the leachinng is finish. If there is still any taste of bitterness, continue the leaching process.
9. After leaching, boil acorn flour with water.
The taste of acorn is subjective. Some people say it is bland, others say it has a unique nutty taste. Despite it's varied taste, acorn is highly nutritious. Percentages vary from species to species, but all acorns contain large amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fats, as well as the minerals calcium, phosphorus and potassium, and the vitamin niacin.
Hope this helps,
Dino Labiste
Hi Dino,
I am a producer on a TV show titled, Extreme Cuisine. We are exploring the extreme/unusual foods of the Pacific Northwest right now. Would really appreciate any info on edible Kelp in that region. Could we possibly do a story where we go out harvesting them and then come back and cook something?
Attached, please find a sheet on our show. Would appreciate any information.
Thanks!
Roma
Hello Roma;
Extreme Cuisine is an interesting show. Jeff Corwin has a fun job of tasting exotic foods all over the world.
In the Bay Area of California, we have a diverse ethnic population from many corners of the globe. The smells and taste of all the different ethnic foods make the Bay Area a great place to live.
There are a variety of edible marine algae, seaweed and kelp in Northern California. The time to gather seaweed varies, but usually it is from March to July. Seaweeds are as seasonal in their growth patterns as land plants. Seaweeds grow in response to the increased sunshine filtering down to them in spring and summer, and die back when the days grow short in late autumn.
The choicest edible kelp harvested in Northern California are:
1. California Nori (Porphyra perforata)
2. California Kombu (Laminaria digitata)
3. California Wakame (Alaria marginata)
4. Bull whip kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana)
They are easiest to gather at low tides. Some seaweed grow at the high intertidal zone while others grow in the lowest intertidal zone, which requires a wetsuit and extreme low tides for harvesting.
Other edible species are Sister Sarah (Cystoseira osmundacea), Green Nori (Enteromorpha intestinalis), Ogo (Gracilaria verrucosa) and Sea Lettuce (Ulva lactuca).
There is another seaweed that is also edible and that is the California Sea Palm (Postelsia palmaeformis). In 1984, it became illegal to gather California Sea Palms because the plants were under too much harvesting pressure. Hopefully, these restrictions will help the Sea Palms return to their former numbers.
I hope this information helps you with your show about Pacific Northwest marine cuisine.
Let me know if you have any other questions concerning seaweeds and I'll try and help you as best as I can.
Regards,
Dino Labiste
Hello Mr. Labiste,
I have been reading a lot of your articles on the society of primitive technology. I am blown away by all the knowledge that primitive skills has in abundance. I would like to say that it totaly opened me up to the reality of the skills that can be learned. I will be a truck driver in about a month, which is lucky for me because I can travel and learn all kinds of primitive skills. I have the time and money to actually practice them. I was wondering if you could help me because I see that there are so many skills to learn -- plants, scouting, medicine, etc., as well as different environments, such as desert, winter, etc. to employ them. What, in your opinion, would be a good way to map out my training? Such as, is there one school that can teach me the bulk of what I need? Should I go to different schools to specialize in certain skills? What schools are good?
Thank you for your time sir,
Gordon
P.S.
The thumb straps for the hand drill work wonders. Thanks for the help.
Hello Gordon;
Often times in our Western, fast paced life, we tend to look for the shortest route to learning skills that take indigenous cultures a lifetime to master. Learning is the fun and important aspect of acquiring any skill. Not only do you experience and gain knowledge, but you also learn something about your abilities and yourself.
Ask yourself, why do I want to learn these skills? What am I going to get out of it in my life?
Find a skill that you feel passionate about. Find a teacher who is willing to guide you on that path to becoming proficient in that skill. Sometimes people specialize in one skill, while others learn many skills. My suggestion is to focus on one thing at a time, then, when you are ready, move on to something else (if you wish to do so). Take your time and smell the roses. You'll begin to appreciate what your ancient ancestors had to learn to live in a lifestyle before the age of metal.
There are good schools and terrible schools out there. Find one that has knowledgeable instructors by talking to the people who are coordinating the event or the school. There are too many survival, wilderness, primitive schools that have cropped up in the last few years due to the internet and the myriad of new schools. People will take a few classes or learn something via the internet, then they are off and running in starting a school or event on primitive technology. Get to know more about the instructors, their experience and how long they have been doing what they are doing. See their work. Get recommendations from other people. Talk to the instructors about their expertise, either in person or on the phone.
There are 2 events that I can suggest. The instuctors are excellent and the quality of the events are exceptional. They are Rabbitstick Rendezvous in Rexberg, Idaho and Winter Count in Maricopa, Arizona. Here is the webiste for the 2 events:
http://www.backtracks.net/
Check it out when you are in that area. Also, find a good instructor who will tutor you in certain skills. They are around. You'll have to do some research and ask around. Some of the instructors at the Rabbitstick Rendezvous and at Winter Count have schools. Attending the events will give you an opportunity to talk to the instructors in person.
Go slow and the quality of your skills will improve immensely. Do not try to learn so much in a short amount of time.
Regards,
Dino Labiste
(pertaining to the video entitled, "Cordage Making")
Dear Dino;
As a native California Indian (Koyom'kawi Maidu), I am very pleased on your video take of the dogbane cordage. This has been the most informative piece that I have come across. I do not know one of our elders that knows the "traditional" crafts and this adds to my quest to know the "old" ways. I am very appreciative.
Wallace Clark
Thank you, Wallace, for your kind comments. I'm glad that the video has been of some help to you and to those who would like to learn the "old ways" of making cordage. Dogbane has provided me with many items of practical use. I am grateful for it's generosity and I am constantly learning from the dogbane plant.
Regards,
Dino Labiste
Hi
Dino,
My name is Bennie Girl. I live with my husband up North in Mt. Shasta, about an hour from the Oregon border. I was born in Honolulu, but have been state side since I was 2. I'm doing a paper for my ANTH 5, Intro to Archaeology. I can't find how early Hawaiians made fire. Where can I find the answer? You probably know. Maybe you can direct me to some sites where I can learn more about my cultural history.
Mahalo,
Bennie
Aloha no, Bennie. Here is an excerpt from the Bishop Museum book called "Arts and Crafts of Hawaii, Section I, Food" by Te Rangi Hiroa. The text is from the section on Cooking in the book.
"Fire (ahi) was produced by the Polynesian method of rubbing an upper pointed piece ('aulima) of wood along a groove formed on the upper surface of a lower piece ('aunaki) of dry wood such as hau (Hibiscus tiliaceus). The upper piece was held in a forward slant, the fingers of both hands clasped over the front and the thumbs to the back. The lower piece was kept fixed on the ground by placing the front end against a fixed object or under an assistant's foot. The upper stick was rubbed (kuolo) in successive forward movements to create the groove and push the particles of detached wood to the forward end of the groove. When sufficient wood dust had collected, the movements were quickened until the friction created heat and caused the wood dust to smoulder and smoke. Some inflammable material, such as old dry tapa, coconut husk, or coconut stipule (a'a), was placed on the ground and the under stick was turned over it to deposit the burning dust on the material. Strips of dry tapa were usually plaited in a loose three-ply braid, with one end frazzled out for easy ignition. The under stick was given a sharp tap on the back with the upper stick to dislodge all the dust. The dry material was waved in the air or blown gently until it ignited ('a) into flame -- ua 'a ke ahi. The whole process of creating fire by friction is termed hi'a ahi.
Firewood received the specific name of wahie."
Also, try contacting the Bishop Museum. The museum has a webpage on answering questions about Hawaiiana. Access the webpage below for further information and links:
http://www.bishopmuseum.org/contacts.html
The Hawaiian method of fire making is called the fire plow by contemporary fire makers. You might want to Google "fire plow" to find more information about that method of fire making. Here are some sites about the fire plow:
http://www.primitive.org/fireplow.htm
http://www.wwmag.net/fireplow.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i0iJGgdT7A
Be aware that the Polynesian method of holding the stick that moves back and forth on the stationary stick is held in a certain position. Some of the contemporary fire makers today will hold the stick differently (see the excerpt on Polynesian fire making, above, from the book entitled "Arts and Crafts of Hawaii").
Here is a webpage on the plant, called Hau, that the early Hawaiians used for making fire:
http://www.canoeplants.com/hau.html
Hope this helps,
Dino Labiste
G'day Dino,
If the spindle is shaped, say, 1inch diameter at the top where the cord goes round, and the bottom half of the spindle is a quarter of that, will the bottom of the spindle spin faster and so create a coal quicker because of increased speed at the bottom?
Thanks,
Barry from Australia
Howdy Barry;
You'll get an increase in speed, but what you'll also need is downward pressure to create enough friction to ignite the fine dust that accumulates in the notch of the hearthboard. Two factors for igniting the fine dust into an ember are spindle rotation and downward pressure. Start out at a slow rotation and warm up the hearthboard. Then increase to a moderate rotation and some downward pressure to create the fine dust in the notch area. After the dust starts to build up, then apply more rotation and increase the downward pressure. At that point, you should have smoke swirling around the base of the spindle. Don't stop until you see puffs of smoke coming from the fine dust in the notch.
Good luck on your fire making endeavors.
Regards,
Dino Labiste
I'm just tring to understand how much spring or how stiff the altalt should be? I'm starting to build a board atlatl. The spring or stiffness is bothering me. I just don't understand. Yes, I know in the past, the people that used the atlatl didn't think about it, I guess. Just trying to learn what would work for me.
Dane Britton
Hello Dane;
The straight forward answer is “Don’t worry about it.” It doesn’t really matter. I published an article in a reviewed physics journal, The American Journal of Physics (AJP), several years ago on this very subject. The data was obtained from a high-speed digital camera in the mechanical engineering lab at UC Davis. Most of the real atlatls seen in museums have absolutely no flex.
Flexibility is VERY important in atlatl darts in exactly the same way that the spine or flexibility of arrows is important. If the dart is too stiff then the tail end will kick down. If the dart is too flexible then the tail will kick up.
There is a link to a download my atlatl article and another article on tuning atlatl darts in PrimitiveWays.com
Regards,
Dick Baugh
12/29/08
Dear "Norm Kidder";
I ran across your cordage article on the 'PrimitiveWays' website. It brought back some memories.
Several years ago I was putting in a concrete foundation for a heavy equipment barn in the remote unexplored regions of Transmexico (that inland or upper area of South Texas between the Rio Grande and Nueces rivers). After working from before dawn till after dark, I would make rope. What was supposed to be a three day job turned out to be more like three months. There was a bit of tension. We barely even talked to each other.
One night, the old man who owned the ranch came over to me and said he couldn't believe a white man could do what I was doing. He thought that civilized white folk had lost the patience and concentration needed for such primitive skills. I told him that I might not be quite civilized or pure white. He wasn't a bigot, so I told him the truth.
When I was very young my family moved to the Caribbean. I learned many skills. Many of the local fishermen built their own boats and would trust only a rope they had made with their own hands. I learned to make rope from them.
The real trick of hand rope making is hundreds or thousands of hours of practice. After a while it becomes almost like breathing; a semiautomatic activity. You can think about something else while your hands work automatically; or, slip into a state of semiconsciousness.
Fred Brawner
Fred, you're lucky to have had that "primal" experience. Today's kids think primitive technology means Pacman or Frogger. I'm afraid the concept of patience (the most important primitive skill) is fast disappearing.
Thanks for the story,
Norm
Hi -
I am the art teacher at a Montessori school. I have a third grade boy who wants very much to make a bead drill, the kind used by the Miwok (we have a drawing from a book). I have read that buckeye, or other hard wood was used for the drill (bit) part, but haven't come up with any other details to guide us. I came across your site and thought it worth asking if you might have a more specific plan/diagram/general tips for me and Ben.
Thanks!
Julie
Hello Julie,
Ask yourself "Just what is a third grade boy capable of doing?" There are all kinds of possibilities. He could drill some beads with equipment identical to that used by the Miwok. He could make a drill that works the same way but uses a steel cutting tool. He could make some beads that look like the originals but use modern tools. He could make a pump drill, a tool intorduced by the Spanish. He could learn just how time consuming this process would be. (A friend and amateur archaeologist from Illinois made and used a bow drill, all natural materials, to drill a hole in a Gulf of Mexico conch shell. I think it took almost ten hours.
I am passing this on to the rest of the PrimitiveWays gang to see if they have more suggestions.
Good luck,
Dick Baugh
Julie:
I think Dick's response is a good one, and speaks to the realities of bringing primitive technologies to a third grade classroom. I seriously doubt that a wooden bit, no matter what wood was used, would be effective for drilling beads with the possible exception of beads of steatite (soapstone), which it extremely soft material. I think making a drill with a metal bit or point would be your most practical and successful choice. As far as tool design goes, a length of dowel with an inserted nail in one end that's been flattened and filed to a point is one style I've seen, although it's not a replica of anything "primitive".
Hope this helps.
Ken Peek
Dear Dino,
I have been unable to find an explanation or illustration of how to roll, tie, and suspend a blanket pack from webbing as straps. This method is used by BOSS and others. If you know how to do this I would appreciate the information.
Best,
Bob
Hi Bob;
When you say "webbing", are you referring to a type of netting? I am unfamiliar with the method that the Boulder Outdoor Survival School (BOSS) is using.
I have create a netted bag that can be used as a backpack for carrying your gear. Everything is bundled in your blanket or a plastic tarp. The backpack is made out of a rectangular shaped net. A strap, like a long piece of leather or a long strip cut out of a blanket, is threaded through the top meshes of the net, then threaded through the bottom meshes of the net. The ends of the strap are tied together. This strap goes over your shoulders, like a regular backpack strap. Some type of padded cushion should be created to make the strap comfortable on your shoulders. The vertical length of the outer meshes of the net are threaded with a cordage to enclose the net around your bundled gear to form a bag. Unless you do this, it is not easy to visualize the explanation. Access the webpage below, to view a photo of the finished net backpack on my back. It was modified from a large, regular carrying net:
http://www.primitiveways.com/Kahiko_workshops4.html
I have also seen a blanket roll, with gear wrapped inside, carried on the back using a wide leather strap that is attached near the ends of the blanket roll. The leather strap is slung across the chest and shoulders. The ends of another leather strap is attached away from the middle of the blanket roll. This leather strap is slung across the forehead. So, two straps are taking the full load of the bundled blanket roll.
Regards,
Dino Labiste
By webbing I mean the 2" wide woven cotton strapping. It's my understanding that gear is folded in the blanket or tarp, and that bundle is tied up with cord. Then the webbing is threaded through the cord to create shoulder straps and a waist belt like a backpack.
Bob
Hi Bob;
Interesting idea. Even if you don't know the exact explanation of how it was done, I'm sure by experimenting with that concept, you can create something similar that works for your need.
Regards,
Dino Labiste
Hi Dino,
Thanks for maintaining your awesome PrimitiveWays website. I recently returned from Alaska where many of the natives were selling "eskimo yo-yo's" as a child's game. After departing, I realized that one of the elders had been explaining traditional hunting to me and discussed the use of bola's for the taking of water fowl. In retrospect, the child's game looked a lot like the hunting version, and I'm curious to know if they're related?
Also, now I've been inspired to make a set of bolas, but am curious to know if you or anyone else has any information about the specific process.
I've heard that you can make them by putting rocks in a rawhide sack, or by tying directly onto the rocks.
Some questions I have are:
1. How long are the cordage sections? Are they offset in length?
2. How big of rocks do you use?
3. How many rocks is traditional?
4. What specific game was taken traditionally?
5. Does anyone have tips for throwing techniques?
Also, when I was searching for "bolas" on the internet, I received information on Hawaiin fire dancing. Is there a relationship between fire dancing and the hunting weapon? If bolas were used traditionally in Hawaii, I'd also be curious to learn about those specifics.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Darren Cooke
Hi Darren;
I don't have any specific info on Inuit or Eskimo bolas, but maybe these websites might help:
http://www.flight-toys.com/bola/bola_eskimo2.html
http://www.flight-toys.com/bola/bola_eskimo3.jpg
http://www.flight-toys.com/bola/bola_eskimo1.html
http://www.flight-toys.com/bolas.htm
> Is there a relationship between fire dancing and the hunting weapon?
>
If bolas were used traditionally in Hawaii,
>
I'd also be curious to learn about those specifics.
"Hawaiian fire dancing" is more of a tourist origin. Traditional Hawaiian dancing did not have any fire dancing.
There is a Hawaiian weapon called pikoi, which consisted of a wooden or stone weight, with or without a handle, to which a long cord was attached. It has been likened to the South American bola. The weighted rope was thrown at an opponent's legs to trip him. It may be assumed that a successful throw was speedily followed up with some other weapon to complete the job. This weapon appears to have been peculiar to Hawaii, as there is no record of it from any other part of Polynesia.
Hope this helps,
Dino Labiste
(question for the "Antler Handle Knife" article)
Hi,
I hope you don't mind a question. I've found your page to be very helpful. I was wondering, though, how long should I wait to trust that the antler has dried completely?
Many thanks!
Dave
Hello David;
How was the process? Did you find it easy or difficult to insert the knife tang into the antler?
Let it dry for at least a week before using it.
Regards,
Dino Labiste
Oh, it was quite a bit easier to insert than I'd expected. Tried the boiling method. Had it soaking for a couple days prior. Worked great! I'm so amazed. I've done some polishing on the handle, but I'll refrain from anything more strenuous for the time you suggest. Thanks for the response.
All the best,
Dave
Hi Dino;
I am a student from Germany and I am very fascinated by the handdrill.
I have 2 things I would like to ask:
First is about a trick I have heard from: not drilling straight at the end but with a little angle to increase fricion. Is this right or not so good, because drilling out of the center this way, though it is a short time at the end and you could work against this by changing the sides of this not straight drilling?
And the second thing is about the correct notch shape. You have to use a 45 degree angle for the notch pointing to the center. And has the corner reach the center point? Or better stop a little before, and when yes, should you prefer to make a wider end of the notch, that it is flat at the end but still pointing to the center in this situation?
I have not much experience, and I hope you as a very experienced handdrill expert have some advice for me. I would be very happy!
Best wishes!
Michael
Hello Michael;
I don't see any advantage to changing the angle of your spindle while drilling. Although, when my spindle binds in a deep hole on the hearthboard, I sometimes angle my drilling in different directions to widen the hole. Whether you drill straight up and down or angle the spindle, it does not increase the friction. Friction is increased when you apply more downward pressure on the spindle.
When creating your notch hole, which is shaped like a triangular wedge, the point should end at the center of the spindle hole on the hearthboard. Open up the wide end of the notch. You want your char to filter down the notch hole and not accumulate on top of the spindle hole on the hearthboard. Too narrow of a notch hole and the char will not filter down the notch hole.
I hope this information is helpful. Good luck on your fire making efforts. Let me know if you are successful in getting fire.
Regards,
Dino Labiste
Hello,
I read your article on "The Shade Tree Knife Mechanic" several times, and I'm fascinated by it! It gets me so excited to have the chance to make my own knives, because the way you lay it out seems simple and do-it-yourself yet effective. However, there were a couple questions I had.
How do you reach the desired thinness when using an old, worn out file? Those things are too thick it seems for a short knife blade. Do you need a hammer and anvil?
Also, what exactly do you mean by "medium red heat" in reference to the appropriate temperature for heat treating a blade? Could you email me a color so I could have something to reference?
Thanks for the help,
Stephen
Hello Stephen;
I am very pleased that you enjoyed reading my take on knife making.
How do you reach the desired thinness when using an old, worn out file? I must confess I’ve never used an old file for this purpose and I never pound on things because I have a pretty good supply of steel of the desired thickness. After annealing a file should be pretty easy to reduce in thickness. Buy Wayne Goddard’s $50 knife shop. It is an excellent book that covers the subject in much greater depth than my article.
Also, what exactly do you mean by "medium red heat" in reference to the appropriate temperature for heat treating a blade? Medium red is in the eye of the beholder. The old time bladesmiths did their heat treating by color. In order to learn that they served a lengthy apprenticeship with a master. I consider it to be an example of knowing how without knowing why. I don’t say that disrespectfully, but we’ve learned a lot about metallurgy in the last 100 years. In order to use color for judging temperature one must make sure that the ambient lighting is not too bright. A blade that is medium red hot in bright sunlight won’t appear the same as it would in the shade late in the evening. Consequently you should do as the famed Japanese swordsmiths do: heat treat in a dark place. Practice on a few scraps of the steel your blades are made from. It is best if you don’t overheat the metal. In other words get it hot enough to harden but not much hotter because that will promote grain growth and decarburizing. Heat a piece of scrap up to what you think is “medium red” and quench it in water. Try to scratch it with a file. If you can scratch it then it wasn’t hot enough and reheat it to a somewhat brighter color and try again.
Another method would be to borrow a pyrometer, an instrument that measures temperatures in this range.
Best of success,
Dick
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