Esparto grass string?

[tombear]

Ok another obscure one. Does anyone know of a source for esparto grass string? I've had no joy poking about the net so I thought I'd ask here.

The wife made me a sling from what I think is polished flax string that we had in the house and I'd like to have some variations.

i did a tour of three local towns today looking for more flax and some hemp string but all anyone had was cheap cotton or nylon stuff. Even the organic/hippy shops weren't going to restock until the spring! I tried stationers, pound shops, hardware shops, you name it. Thankfully eBay etc has plenty of flax and hemp on offer but for some reason no esparto except as finished items like bags and shoes.

cheers!

Tom

 

[Toddy]

You mean the stuff they make espadrilles with ? the paper making grass stuff ? Spanish grass?
It's not something I'd expect to find easily here. It won't grow here afaik.....Mediterranean, North African stuff.

Our own sweetgrass is very good, though sources are very carefully kept quiet

None of the fibre suppliers I use have any......I found a blog though of what seems to be an English lady in Spain, maybe she could help ?
http://anncrafted.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/covering-vase-with-esparto-grass.html

atb,
Mary

 

[British Red]

Where in Spain does it grow Tom?

 

[Monikieman]

Tombear.

Would jute string be any good?

 

[Toddy]

I thought it was a seashore grass, British Red.

Good jute string is very good stuff indeed

cheers,
Toddy

 

[tombear]

Hi Folks
yes it's the Spanish Grass, beloved of the Romans and used for all sorts of cordage and weaving together. Thanks for the addy, if I can't get some commercially I will politely enquire of her.

From what I can find out its grown around Andalucia, I was hoping you could get it as a ball of string but it's looking unlikely.

What I have read so far indicates, to do a period correct sling since I metaphorically want to kill two birds with one stone, it's just hemp ( some are doubt full ) linen/ flax and esparto that are correct, jute only came to Europe after we started trading Big time with India, and sisal comes from Central America. I could use leather but what I have to cut up isn't suitable as in thin sections its snapped repeatedly, no use for laces at a all also I need 9 lengths 100 inches long for each one. Despite using the same kit I use to cut strips of balsa, I have trouble getting it even. I must have a special talent.

Atb

Tom

 

[Toddy]

Flax stricks are available if you want to make your own from scratch Hemp ones too are available from Europe.....y'know what ? Sandbender might be the person to ask. He lives in an area where their hemp fabrics are as fine as good linen, he might be able to source you (us ) some good quality hemp stricks Even if just as a translater/middle man it would be helpful

cheers,
M

 

[Toddy]

Links

http://www.flaxland.co.uk/products.html

 

[British Red]

Aaah Andalucía I don't know anyone there - my brother is in the Pyrenees so if it grew there I could have asked him - a sea grass makes sense though - ahh well

 

[Toddy]

I sometimes wonder why we don't make more use of grasses.
My very, very, early memories have scents related. Seagrass triggers something very happy, contented, loved, in me. My moses basket was made of seagrass

Grass mats, grass baskets, grass hats, grass huts and roofs.....all good stuff

cheers,
M

 

[tombear]

Plenty for me to think about there, thanks. Herself does have some flax she got from Winghams ready to be spun and the kind chap who did me the linen wick ( sadly all gone now ) also gave me a hank of less processed stuff which is in the fire lighting drawer if I remember right. The trick will be persuading herself to drop spindle it as she has quite enough on her plate as it is.

i've found plenty of sources of linen thread on eBay, some with free postage I now need to read up on the sling we want to make to see what thickness we need to order.

i have a hankering after a woven shot bag to go with, plaited plant fibres sort of thing. raffia work?

on the vague note of natural fibres a while ago I picked up a hank of finely plaited stuff, very thin and 1/8th wide. There's just over two ounces of the stuff, the long thing in the pic below at the bottom.

Truth be said I don't know precisely what it is or what you do with it. Incidentally I was getting sick of being reamed for narrow cotton tape buying it by the yard so when we went to a wool crafts event at Helmshore Museum and a guy had 2 lb reels of 3/16" cotton tape for £5 a pop I couldn't resist. So if anyone needs any just say, I'll never get through that lot!

atb

Tom

 

[Toddy]

Just had a thought and had a look at Midfords, and he's selling braided jute

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-mtr-le...347?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item43be0d290b

Happy to recommend this seller; his stock (well the candle making stuff and fibres that I have bought) and service are both excellent

M

 

[tombear]

Cheers!

This on seams good value,

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-000M-UN...booking_Ribbons_Fibres_EH&hash=item3f2a8b39b7

so I've asked herself to order it for us. Should keep us going. I've had some the same diameter/type before and it was good stuff.

atb

tom

 

[tombear]

They tried to deliver the linen twine yesterday while we were out so I picked it up today. It's lovely stuff, about a mill in diameter and both soft and strong, and at 1000m, very, very long. It looks just the job for sewing with as well.

Anyhoo after herself staggered in from a long week at work I laid on the puppy dog eyes and she plaited me another sling from 18 strands of linen.

Not that I've used it yet but it does feel good in the hand, soft and silky.

ATB

Tom

 

[British Red]

it does feel good in the hand, soft and silky.

Because your worth it

?


Good plaiting!

 

[tombear]

I'll pass that along. I'm thinking of making a mould for making spherical clay shot, I don't think anyone would thank me for leaving lead glands laying about the country side. Saying that I'd like ome accurate fake shot for display perposes.

ATB

Tom

 

[British Red]

What size shot Tom - 3/4" diameter or so?

Good excuse for one of these!

http://www.henrykrank.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=116_144&products_id=142

a few of these make easy lead shot (but a muzzle loader will probably give you a few musket balls)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-x-1oz-s...tingGoods_FishingAcces_RL&hash=item1c261b7def

Overall though, this seems cheap - probably the best bet

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1x-STORM-...tingGoods_FishingAcces_RL&hash=item35ca6d86d3

 

[tombear]

Nah that would be too easy/sensible, it's this sort I'd like a few of for display

http://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1341076163/0

and here's. bit on clay shot.

http://www.academia.edu/1187745/Clay_slingshots_from_the_Roman_fort_Novae_at_Cezava_Serbia_

it would be easier to make them spherical, I've heard mention of meatball tongs being used, make 4 cm diameter balls, which is what?, just over a inch and a half?

ATB

Tom

 

[Toddy]

Old fashioned small ice cream scoop works well in a lump of clay to make balls. You just keep a bowl of water beside you to dip the scoop into before you twist it into the clay each time. A melon baller makes sort of marble sized ones. They can be dried out and then just oven fired. They don't need to be ceramicised to work well. Mind they'll shrink as they bake though.

cheers,
M

 

[British Red]

Yep thats an inch and a half - some weight of lead.

How would this shape be?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-IN-1-DI...tingGoods_FishingAcces_RL&hash=item2ec5b89994