Main Discussion Area > Primitive Skills
An elder blowgun/tube
bowandarrow473:
The Elderberry we have in the U.S. Comes in two types, red and black. In my opinion, black is the better of the two for blowguns, I have never seen red elderberry big enough to make a blowgun. The type of elderberry they have in Europe is a different type as well I think, it's harder, stronger and more elastic then what we have in the U.S. that said, I am guilty of trying to make an elderberry bow, it was black elderberry. And in Florida, the stuff gets to around 1 1/4 inches in diameter so I found a nice straight piece and attempted 54inch shortie out of it. It snapped triumphantly.
ekalavya:
it seems no native speaker calls elderberry just elder.
Woods with a lot of inner pith might be more suitable to be hollowed out.
Might be impractical for longer tubes but for toy sized tubes it seems to be a quick alternative.
Don't know if any US or state law defines toy sized tube or shooting toys or something.
Never heard of a so called US toy law.
the barkman:
Heh, a friend of mine uses a mtn bike handle bar and two inch bicycle spoke pieces with paper as fletching. He's scary accurate to about thirty feet. That elderberry wood is poisonous btw- might want to cover the mouth end with beezwax or something...
Jodocus:
Nice 8)
I'm using jerusalem artichoke as spindels trying (with no success yet :( ) to make hand drill fire lately. Seeing this I think they might make good blowguns... I'll give it shot if I get around to it.
jbnizzle:
In the old.days ,reports of. chilldren being poisoned by putting there mouth on greenblow guns out of elderberry.
I also.saw a video of the Tule California People. Making bows out of elderberry out there.
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