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[katana]

Originally Posted by nKante

Thanks Katana! It's funny you ask, because I do have a cow tail laying around.But it is to used in another project.I will sew a sleeve from the rawhide I have left.

I would suggest that you soak the sleeve in water, wrap around the shaft and sew the seam then. As the leather ...dries it shrinks and gives a very firm hold. One more suggestion, if you cut rawhide into small pieces and gently boil in water you can create 'hide glue'. (google for more info) . Put the glue in the area where the sleeve is to be placed and then wrap with the 'wet' leather and sew (glue could also be 'run along the seam). The addition of this natural glue (known to the Zulus) improves the strength of the binding as it now not only applies 'compression' as the sheath dries and shrinks but is bonded to the wooden shaft. I have done this myself and works a treat

Hi Norman,
nice collection .....the second one down....is there a twine binding (whipping) underneath the hide sheaf ? I have seen some where this type of binding is used. The sheaf is placed over the whipping and shrunk over it. But, I have also seen some where there is a texture created by applying the cord over the top of the wet hide, which is left to dry/shrink and later the string removed leaving the imprint of the cord. It's possible that this texture improves grip to aid removal from the poor victim but do not know for certain

All the best
David

[Norman McCormick]

Originally Posted by katana

Hi Norman,
nice collection .....the second one down....is there a twine binding (whipping) underneath the hide sheaf ? I have seen some where this type of binding is used. The sheaf is placed over the whipping and shrunk over it. But, I have also seen some where there is a texture created by applying the cord over the top of the wet hide, which is left to dry/shrink and later the string removed leaving the imprint of the cord. It's possible that this texture improves grip to aid removal from the poor victim but do not know for certain

All the best
David

Hi David,
You're dead right, the 2nd one down does not have any binding underneath, see photo. I would suspect your deduction may have some creedence.
My Regards,
Norman.

[katana]

Originally Posted by Norman McCormick

Hi David,
You're dead right, the 2nd one down does not have any binding underneath, see photo. I would suspect your deduction may have some creedence.
My Regards,
Norman.

Hi Norman ,
sometimes the sheathing covers/holds the lower section of the spearhead shaft ...I believe that this 'overlap' is deliberate and is bound tight around the metal shaft (with a strip or cord to compress) to compress and mould the wet hide to tightly fit and support the spearhead shaft further .....later the strip/cord removed, once dry and shrunk.

All the best
David

[Norman McCormick]

Originally Posted by katana

Hi Norman ,
sometimes the sheathing covers/holds the lower section of the spearhead shaft ...I believe that this 'overlap' is deliberate and is bound tight around the metal shaft (with a strip or cord to compress) to compress and mould the wet hide to tightly fit and support the spearhead shaft further .....later the strip/cord removed, once dry and shrunk.

All the best
David

Hi David,
On the two with 'cow tails' that I posted both shafts are partly covered/gripped by hide.
My Regards,
Norman.

[nKante]

Thanks everyone! All of this helps alot. I love the bit of info about the glue. That will come in handy for so many projects.