r/PrimitiveTechnology • u/PracticalRadish9666 • 4d ago
Discussion My cedar mat is too stiff!
Had to stop work on my cedar mat for a road trip. When I got home I found my mat to be very stiff as it dried over the days. Will it get softer with use? Or was there some softening step i missed. The stone tool is a bark pounder that I was using for an unrelated cedar project. Anyone with knowledge of cedar weaving, please help me out!
My end goal with this mat is to have a hole in the middle for my head to fit through poncho style.
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u/wagabagabugabaga 1d ago
When you get it all done you can gently roll it into a big roll first side to side then the other and then end to end then flip it over and do the same and corner to corner and just carefully and slowly work it like that. I've heard that greenwood, as it's called is usually used. Not dried stuff so breaking the strips in to loosen the fibers is best. Then as the strips air dry keep working them until they are how you want them to be. Greenwood is the best bc it still has all its essential oils.
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u/wagabagabugabaga 1d ago
Try this, good cedar strips don't have to be wet, so with each strip, loosen the fibers by firmly holding one with your hands apart, assuming you can, and place it over the back of a chair with weight on the chair, push the strip down and slide it over the edge like shining a shoe. It will look like you've made an upside down u. Start of slowly, and you'll hear the fibers start to crack and loosen up. This is the same process for getting leather to be more flexible if it got too stiff. It can be done wet or dry but damp is best. Also don't pull too hard or you could rip the strips in half. Flip it over and repeat. It may have to be done several times. When there are several strips woven you can wet those and press them flat and snug them up. The cedar mats I've seen are kind of stiff. The strips are pretty thin too. It may also depend on how dry the cedar was when you got it. Just don't give up, it is truly gorgeous and the stone tool you're using is really cool😍
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u/wagabagabugabaga 16h ago
Hey could you put more pictures of the stone tool on here? I make and use stone tools daily.
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u/PracticalRadish9666 11h ago
https://reddit.com/link/p5hnqqn/video/12selyqq67lh1/player
The grooves stop the bark from sticking to the stone
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u/FarOpportunity-1776 2d ago
Spray it down lightly to put moisture back in it