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Antique Wool Flax Comb 1800s Maybe 1800s

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billretirecoll's loves961 of 1291WIN nonviolent Protest Magazine 6.15.70 Kent State cover11.5 inch John 'Manka' Mankameyer Crystaline-Glazed Vase
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    Posted 6 years ago

    fortapache
    (3277 items)

    Haven't found an exact match for this but as things like these were hand made that is to be expected. This is for combing wool. I am thinking for after it has been removed from the sheep. It is a rather fearsome device.
    It is 17 inches long with 4 1/2 inch long spikes. It sounds fearsome but the spikes are so close together they couldn't cause major injury. It is a bit like the bed of nails. If the spikes were 6 inches apart it would be much more painful.
    The nails or spikes on this are blacksmith made and not machine made leading one to believe it is from the 1800s. The wood is in great shape though. But is does look great on the outside walls of my house. It is neatly tucked under the eaves so it should be fine.

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    Comments

    1. shareurpassion shareurpassion, 6 years ago
      Wow, it does look deadly, right?!? I wonder if they used it right before they would shear the wool off? I mean it kinda seems like that would make some sense to me for one, it would be probably impossible to do this after, what would it hold on to as you tried to pull the brush through the matted wool, you know what I mean? And can you used a clear coat of matte spray on it so that it survives the weather? I do that to my wind chimes whenever they look like they need it and it does a pretty good job of keeping those wooden parts whole and stable. ???
    2. jscott0363 jscott0363, 6 years ago
      Very cool flax brush. I've seen these used for combing flax that's used for making linen.
    3. hotairfan hotairfan, 6 years ago
      jscotto363 is right here. This is a flax comb. There is no mating part that goes with it. It was used to remove the chafe on the flax fiber so it could be woven into linen. The courser flax that was combed was woven into material to make feed bags while the finely combed flax was used to make clothing
    4. billretirecoll billretirecoll, 6 years ago
      Here's some and an old engraving of two men fingering the flax :

      https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1185&bih=598&ei=D-l9WpH0HsXRjwTQ24aQCw&q=antique++flax+comb&oq=antique++flax+comb&gs_l=img.12..0.3057.16110.0.18695.9.8.0.1.1.0.127.828.4j4.8.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..0.9.835....0.KnisoNOmmKo#imgrc=AxJcSQ71rO_8QM:

      Nice Flax Comb, fortapache! :^)
    5. fortapache fortapache, 6 years ago
      Thank you very much shareurpassion. Apparently it is for flax. I am be able to spray clear coat matte on it. Perhaps I'll move it inside but I am afraid I will bump into it. I have it in a spot where it is sheltered from sun and rain.
    6. fortapache fortapache, 6 years ago
      Thank you very much Scott. Apparently this is not for wool. Seems it would take a lot of combing to make a set of sheets.
    7. fortapache fortapache, 6 years ago
      Thank you very much hotairfan. 19th century?
    8. fortapache fortapache, 6 years ago
      Thank you very much Bill. Looks like some say they are from the 18th century. I wonder if they mean the 1800s, 1700s or are just mistaken.
    9. fortapache fortapache, 6 years ago
      Thank you
      PhilDMorris
      shareurpassion
      Caperkid
      valentino97
      Newfld
      jscott0363
      bottle-bud
      nutsabotas6
      TassieDevil
      hotairfan
      officialfuel
      billretirecoll
      McCoyNelson
      Irishcollector
      vetraio50
      Manikan
    10. racer4four racer4four, 6 years ago
      Can flax get frightened?
    11. billretirecoll billretirecoll, 6 years ago
      Yes fortapache, here's a video about how to use a flax comb, and shows one from 1780s, and mid 1700s, its over 9mins. but gives a lot of information about it. It also has 2 more videos, on spinning the flax, and weaving it. :^D everything you thought you didn't need to know about flax . . . also used for hemp!

      https://rooftopantiques.com/products/antique-flax-comb-hemp-heckling-wool

      You could start your own business, instead of hanging on the wall! LOL :^)
    12. fortapache fortapache, 6 years ago
      Thank you very much Bill. I am all set to comb out flax soon as I finish the video. Looks like it was a bit older than I thought.
    13. fortapache fortapache, 6 years ago
      Thank you very much racer4four. It frightens me enough to keep it outside.
    14. fortapache fortapache, 6 years ago
      Thank you
      racer4four
      aura
      Brunswick
      mikelv85
    15. ho2cultcha ho2cultcha, 6 years ago
      neat carder!
    16. fortapache fortapache, 6 years ago
      And thank you very much ho2cultcha.
    17. fortapache fortapache, 6 years ago
      Thank you AnnaB.

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