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Ishi fishing spear head attachment.
wstanley:
Been a while but I got back into making this harpoon. Cut a bull pine down and I let is sit in the shade in about 50 degree weather for two weeks then threw it in that little creek for 2 days. Bark peeled off like a banana peal and I got the shaft down to the dimensions I wanted. For the next week I spent about 20 minutes a day straightening out the shaft between those trees while the sap and moisture content was still pretty high. This got the shaft decently straight. Had I applied heat I would have gotten it straighter. From there I twisted up at least 20 feet of dogbane cordage to attach the forks (oak). These forks are on their firm, and with the added cordage halfway on the forks (like Ishi has it) it will be very secure. From here I just need to make the toggles. I still would like to heat treat that shaft a bit to darken it up.
Fox:
Well dang 20’ of cordage is hard ! That thing is sweet! Well done...
How do you take the outer bark stuff off the fibers of your dogbane? I wiggle it between my fingers which is how I was taught.... but it gets tangled and takes so very long
willie:
--- Quote from: wstanley on May 22, 2020, 11:39:54 am ---I'm guessing the lighter colored attached 11'' forks are intended to stay on though? Is that correct. If so, I wonder why not find a forked stick instead of making them and tying them on. Is this way stronger; or if they break then you just replace it? Sorry I am slow to understand the whole system here going on. Thanks for your feedback.
--- End quote ---
with a rocky shallow bottom like in the pic with ishi, I would suppose it is easier to relash a tine than find a another forked pole.
nice to see the project coming along.. salmon will be here soon!
GlisGlis:
it looks like a very good job
following with interest
wstanley:
Thanks all.
Fox, if you wait until the stocks are bone dry that outter skin/bark should just flake off on its own as you process the fibers. I really don't spend time taking it off. If that helps.
I'm processing some more dogbane now to make three-ply cordage for the toggles. The binding for the forks was two ply.
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