SC - "throrow a straynour" - A query about horsetail

[Decker, Terry D.]

It's horse hair.  There was a longish debate about strainers and their
construction on another list about three years ago as part of a discourse on
niallbinding from Gunnora the Viking Answer Lady.

Bear

> In a message dated 5/26/00 10:15:08 AM Mountain Daylight Time, 
> JGedney at dictaphone.com writes:
> 
> << I think I remember a reference to Strainers being made of 
> Horsetail, 
>  If it is the animal hair they are talking about, Horse tail 
> is probably the 
>  stongest hair that would have been available in sufficient lengths.
 
> I do not really know about the use of horsehair in strainer 
> manufacture. 
> However, I can attest to the strength and durability of 
> horsehair, even when 
> wet.  Very plausable useage would be in strainers.  
> <clipped>
> 
> Horsehair is more likely to have been used than Horsetail.
> 
> Cheers,
> Isabeau