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Author Topic: tough bushy material  (Read 2340 times)

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Offline Matt A

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tough bushy material
« on: February 09, 2012, 11:49:42 pm »
i've found this one plant we know here in northern MN as leatherbush.
anyone have any experience with it? you can grab a branch and pull down and it strips ALL the park off of the entire plant all the way to the roots, then your left wrestling it to break the bark off at that.
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Offline Pat B

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Re: tough bushy material
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2012, 01:04:35 am »
Sounds like Dirca palustris(leatherwood). My book doesn't say anything about arrows but it says the bark was used by NA for bow strings, fishing line and for making baskets.  If it has appropriate shoots for arrows give it a try.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Matt A

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Re: tough bushy material
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2012, 01:35:50 am »
it's very short with lots of branches where i find it,might rule out arrows. I had heard the bow string theory before, I dried and tried stripping it to small strands. but i have 0 knowledge on making primitive bowstrings. But holy cow! I could not believe how strong this stuff is! think you could use it for hafting on arrows as well?
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Offline Pat B

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Re: tough bushy material
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2012, 01:42:31 am »
Maybe strip off a piece 1/4" wide and twist it for a string.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Matt A

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Re: tough bushy material
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2012, 01:55:46 am »
alright  ;) one problem... i've never made a bowstring hahaha! but I know a man not far from me that's willing to teach me.
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Offline Pat B

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Re: tough bushy material
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2012, 12:20:36 pm »
Go tap his brain!
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline stickbender

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Re: tough bushy material
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2012, 03:11:42 am »

     Got any pictures of the plant, and the stripped bark?
Does it grow anywhere else?

                                           Wayne
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Offline Matt A

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Re: tough bushy material
« Reply #7 on: February 15, 2012, 02:25:33 am »
no all I can say is that it's inside is bleach white almost, you can strip it down into fine strips and trying to break it is like dealing with titanium wire.
the bark is dark brown in color.
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