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Bluebell sap adhesive?

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Lucasade:
While researching a gardening article I write last night I came across a website that said that bluebell sap was used as a fletching adhesive in medieval times (although the Woodland Trust says it was in the Bronze Age). Does anyone know anything about this and how you would go about extracting the stuff? It sounds much easier than boiling up rabbit hides!

WillS:
When in doubt, ask Ray Mears!

Skip to 9m 17s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik7GbPEqljg

WillS:
By the way, it's definitely not medieval.  And neither really is animal hide glue for fletching, based on all the extant arrows we have.

I dunno if you've read my SUPERBLY written article on the EWBS page  ;) but evidence suggests that the "fletching adhesive" was actually a compound made of pine resin, tallow and beeswax.  It goes on like a liquid, sets almost instantly and the fletchings are bound down into it.  It's then reheated and that causes the compound to become liquid again, flow over the bindings and around the quills and secure everything extremely tightly in a sort of plastic-like casing. 

You can just use pine resin - cooked down gently it becomes a glassy liquid which is extremely sticky until it sets.  On it's own it sets in a few seconds and goes brittle like glass, but cut with some wax it becomes just right.

Lucasade:
I hadn't seen that article - a good read and very useful. I've done a bit more digging (though not yet of bulbs  ::) ) and it seems there is archaeolgical evidence of bluebell sap being used on neolithic arrows so I'll bear that in mind for the Holmgaard bow I've got lined up.

willie:
Do you think that someone actually has located and annualized the remnants of some fletching glue in an artifact?

My back hurts every morning, from 50 years of labor, and it just amazes me that I could have made a living looking at bluebell sap specks on old arrows.

I emailed the woodland trust, and actually got a kind reply, but their sources seem to be casual recent assertions without citing sources.

BTW, Witchipedia reports


--- Quote ---The bulb of the common bluebell has been used as a styptic and diuretic, to address leukirrhea and for snake bites. However, it contains toxic alkaloids and is not generally in use today.
--- End quote ---

so when following the path of Ray Mears, be aware there may be some pitfalls.

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