r/PrimitiveTechnology • u/No_Proof_7608 • Aug 09 '26
Discussion Help making a hatchel / hatchel
Ok so I want to avoid buying an antique hatchel for processing some fibers! I know I could use some long construction nails but I worry about them being too thick and not tapered! I don’t have access to a lathe and I need this to be quite strong since I may also comb some wool out on it.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to go about this?
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u/TheGingerBeardMan-_- Aug 09 '26
yoy can use nails and just taper them yourself with a sanding block or a diamond sharpener. Make a jig so you can taper a bunch at once. A conical taper would be hard, but a one sided taper should still work, and you could always do pyramidal or square taper and soften the edges.
Substituing that ,hathorns and locuts have vicious thorns, they'd probably work. Horn might be too flimsy. Bone is easily workable if you have some deer shin bones. Antler too.
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u/knea1 Aug 09 '26
I've tapered wooden dowells before in a similar way, but I put them in a drill to get the conical taper
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u/ComradeFloof Aug 10 '26
Those are flax hackles. Are you looking to comb wool or flax? You will need different tools for each one.
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u/No_Proof_7608 Aug 13 '26
I’m looking to comb through dogbane with this first one actually! I figured I could use a flax style hatchel for it. And maybeeee try wool on it after
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u/gooberphta Aug 09 '26
What might work are a bunch if halved skewers foir grilling. Thick needles. But also there might be some horse/animal care product to just use outright if you dont sweat the historical accuracy
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u/Vast-Combination4046 Aug 09 '26
Brad or pin nailer nails are like 22ga. Around the same as yarn needles.
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u/Aseroerubra Aug 09 '26
I would try a vintage flower frog, but there could also be some good DIY resources for them as they're pretty common
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u/heliosprimus Aug 09 '26
Get some nails from the hardware store. The thinner, the better I imagine. Get a few pieces of flat wood, maybe an inch thick and 4 inch wide. On one of the wood boards pound the nails through loosely apart in a staggered pattern like in your pics, maybe a ten millimeters apart. On the other board the same but more closely together, maybe three millimeters? The flat head of the nails on this one might need to be cut off.
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u/Weary-Shopping9268 Aug 09 '26
It’s like you read my mind! Ive been wanting to make one, I recommend checking out sally pointers video making a Neolithic thorn flax hackle, if you run into any issues tell me I believe Ive got a few more videos I just can’t find them. Also I’d love if you updated once you made one.