Bone and Antler needles

[Forest fella]

I was sorting through my Flint tools an hour ago and found these Needles that I made about 8yr's back when I first started playing around with making Flint tools and the like.

I never felt my skills where up to trying to put the incides / oval eye's into them, But I forgot that did this many.
Cheers

 

[Woody girl]

Neat job.
I've just acquired a bone to try this myself. I did make one about 25 or more years ago, and I do still have it...somewhere. I can't find it. Time to make another.

 

[John Fenna]

I have made a fair few of these and my Iron Age and Mesolithic clothing (for work as an interpreter of those ages at Castell Henllys Iron Age fort) were sewn with some of them; others are in the the ownership of the fort's textile expert and in the handling collection of the community archaeologist in Pembs Nat Park Authority ...
They work

 

[Toddy]

@Forest fella
Nice range there

I hated the smell from the sanding when making them.
My Tom cat loved it though

A squirrels front tooth works very well to cut in the eye.

 

[Tengu]

Those are very nice.

I keep on meaning to make/get some for my Iron age kit, but am busy on other matters

 

[Broch]

@Forest fella
Nice range there

I hated the smell from the sanding when making them.
My Tom cat loved it though

A squirrels front tooth works very well to cut in the eye.

There's a bone that runs down the nose of animals such as sheep that makes an almost premade needle - I'll try and pick one out next time I'm in the fields; there are always dead ewes around here

 

[Toddy]

There's a twin 'spike' sort of nasal bone in cattle that makes a very good lucet for making cords

 

[grainweevil]

A squirrels front tooth works very well to cut in the eye.

Can't be easy to train the squirrel to do it though...

 

[forrestdweller]

There's a bone that runs down the nose of animals such as sheep that makes an almost premade needle - I'll try and pick one out next time I'm in the fields; there are always dead ewes around here

no sheep around here (=wrong climate for wearing a woollen coat ) but good to know. i never used them but i have one or two bone needles somewhere in my gear i made ages ago using modern tools...

i haven't watched it, yet but Donny Dust just released a video about sewing with bones on YouTube...

 

[Laurentius]

Any instructions anywhere as to how to go about making one, I'd like to have a go.

 

[Toddy]

Do you have a piece of antler ?

If you have you can score it in such a way that you can break out a narrow triangular shaped length (metal leatherworking needles are still triangular shaped at the tips ) and go from there.

It's easier working at least the start of the eye in while there's still as much material as possible on your blank.

Funnily enough a concrete slab or step is very effective as a sanding 'block', but you find decent stones that work.

I know folks say to carve them with a knife, but I first made them as though I was living in the mesolithic so only had the resources that they had then...so no iron or steel knives.
Good chert/ flint, rodent teeth and I used a smooth river washed flattish stone to rub it down into shape.

M

 

[Laurentius]

Yes I have few pieces of antler lying around. I guess it makes sense to make the hole first before you thin it down.

 

[John Fenna]

I tend to grind antler/bone splinters on sandstone blocks and cut the eyes with flint shards.

 

[Tengu]

Im going to have needle envy now