Main Discussion Area > Primitive Skills

Ishi fishing spear head attachment.

<< < (4/7) > >>

wstanley:
Close up of binding. Based on the color and look of that cordage it looks like modern cordage (of that time). I believe I read that Ishi did not like making cordage because he considered it to be the work of a woman. I'm not posting that to be funny, just as a small insight into his culture - albeit not with much context. I'll be using dogbane.

GlisGlis:
the forks look firmly secured to the shaft

DC:
I was going to say that :D. Yeah, that looks much more secure. I'm happy now.

wstanley:
I started working on the toggles (correct me if I'm wrong if that's not what they're called) portion of the harpoon. As I mentioned looks like Ishi used metal. Took a 5'' fragment of deer leg bone and ground it flat on my cement patio. Then split it starting with a sharp chert flake to get the groove going and then a heftier basalt flake to really take off the material. Next I will sharpen them and prepare them for hafting.

wstanley:
Been out looking for straight bull pines and I have cut one down (pics to come). However, during my search I began thinking that really any straight stock of tree/bush would work. In fact its very possible the shaft/harpoon was milled wood acquired from Berkley. So I went back and looked at the historic photos of the group on their way to Deer Creek on horseback with some of their gear to see if a 10' pole was attached anywhere - but nothing. So I'm more inclined to think Ishi with an axe prepared one fairly quickly during their trip. The shaft comes up very dark on all the 4-5 photos Saxton Pope took of Ishi with it. This makes me think that Ishi had to quick dry it over fire (as well as some minor straightening - assumption). I cant remember how long those men were up there for, but I want to say it was a month (if anyone knows please chime in). So waiting for it to dry would have taken too long.

I am also going to cut down and Incense Cedar of similar dimensions to make as second shaft - replacement/back up. These grow all around me and I cant remember if they grow as far north as Ishi's homeland (I spent two months out there on a job and I should know!). They grow extremely straight. Does anyone know for sure if Incense Cedars grows up their - perhaps a little higher country? Thanks

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page