Hey All,
After watching Ray Mears making arrows in the first episode of his last bbc2 show I sent woodlore an email asking a question about how he did it.
I haven't actually had a reply yet but a very helpful lady there called Jane did forward my mail on to a "Professor of Etnobotany" friend of Ray's for his opinion.
In the meantime I thought I'd post that part of my mail and see if any of you guys can answer the question for me:
Anyway, the point of my mail is to ask a question about the Blue Bell glue Ray used in the first program to attach the fletching of his arrows. As you will know Ray warned us that the roots were poisonous and then proceeded to chew them and mix them with saliva in his mouth before using the glue on the arrows. What I wanted to ask was why he did not just put the roots on a flat rock, crush and mash them with a stick and spit on the mush to add the saliva (if they need the saliva that is) and then use the glue direct from the rock pallet? Obviously Ray knows very well what he's doing so I'm presuming there must be a reason for the way he did it but I can't for the life of me think what the reason might be. I'd be very grateful if somebody could ask him and let me know.
I'm sure one or two of you out there will be able to answer this one for me.
Many thanks in advance.
Phil.
After watching Ray Mears making arrows in the first episode of his last bbc2 show I sent woodlore an email asking a question about how he did it.
I haven't actually had a reply yet but a very helpful lady there called Jane did forward my mail on to a "Professor of Etnobotany" friend of Ray's for his opinion.
In the meantime I thought I'd post that part of my mail and see if any of you guys can answer the question for me:
Anyway, the point of my mail is to ask a question about the Blue Bell glue Ray used in the first program to attach the fletching of his arrows. As you will know Ray warned us that the roots were poisonous and then proceeded to chew them and mix them with saliva in his mouth before using the glue on the arrows. What I wanted to ask was why he did not just put the roots on a flat rock, crush and mash them with a stick and spit on the mush to add the saliva (if they need the saliva that is) and then use the glue direct from the rock pallet? Obviously Ray knows very well what he's doing so I'm presuming there must be a reason for the way he did it but I can't for the life of me think what the reason might be. I'd be very grateful if somebody could ask him and let me know.
I'm sure one or two of you out there will be able to answer this one for me.
Many thanks in advance.
Phil.