Basketmaker-Anasazi sandals

~ George Crawford ~ 7 Comments

These are sandals constructed from the narrow-leaf yucca.  These designs are based on specimens preserved in caves.  These might not be much to look at but they are remarkably impervious to the many sines, spikes, and other poky things found in the deserts of the west.  These are two and four warp designs and the yucca is only slightly processed.  The leaves should be dried prior to use and then re-wetted just before weaving.  This prevents the normal loosening associated with shrinkage during drying.

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These are being diplayed at the Blackwater Draw atlatl and Primitive Technology day 2008.

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I intend to continue to research these and will try to compare types through use.

More Work Horses

~ George Crawford ~ Leave a comment

Here are more shaving (work) horses. I wish I had photos of my first horse. I liked it well enough but I made it short to fit cross-ways in a narrow truck. These are some better and later models…

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A shiny new horse. Hickory arm and head, poplar cross-stretchers. Adjustable tilt table.

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Another new horse. Square head and wider treadle to use easily with either or both feet.

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Stopped tillering to take an “action” photo in the old shop.

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Another action shot fixing the tiller on someone else’s bow at Winter Count. I wouldn’t normally have a stave leaning on the horse but the photographer insisted. I was just hoping it wouldn’t bean me with a very sharp draw-knife in my hand (hence the rasp).

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Not my herd. I liked the simplicity of these made for a class at the Bois d’Arc Rendezvous. You could probably make one of these with nothing but well chosen scraps.

Shaving Horse Plan

~ George Crawford ~ Leave a comment

Here is an old set of plans I made for myself a long time ago. These are meant for dimensional lumber. This plan is for a short horse. If you are tall or don’t mind the extra length to transport, an extra 6 inches is a good idea. You can see from the other horses that this more of a guideline than an actual recipe.
The hard to figure part is the length of the arm, the head, leg height, and other parts specific to your body and what you generally make. I’ll measure more and put up something better when I can.

Dart and atlatl flex

~ George Crawford ~ 2 Comments

These pictures capture the enormous flex that a dart undergoes during the throw. Not quite as evident is the flex in the atlatl itself. This one takes on a shallow “S” curve. This was an unfinished river cane shaft. It had been somewhat straightened but no forshaft or point were attached. If they were, there would probably be even greater flex due to the higher mass slowing the acceleration of the front end of the dart. I would call this shaft moderately stiff-spined and it flexed far more than could be seen with the naked eye.

This student was kind enough to allow me to photograph several throws to capture the right moment. This is about maximum flex.

This flex is vital to a powerful and accurate throw.

Below are a couple of darts with the new thrower.