[Sca-cooks] hair cloth

[Sharon Palmer]

Well, the dog woke me at 3am, and left me wide awake, so I did some googling:

Here is an article about weaving with horsehair for cloth, with a 
cotton warp.  A sieve would use horsehair for both warp and weft.
http://fiberarts.org/design/articles/horsehair.html

And
http://bergdalaspinnhus.com/artiklar/horsehair-s.html

This has a movie about making and using the sieves.
http://www.gorenjski-muzej.si/?page_id=160&lang=en

Closeup of a loom weaving horsehair
http://openairmuseum.pl/skanseny/zdjecie/4695?lang=en

I've never heard of nalbinding with horsehair, and think it is 
unlikely because of how stiff horsehair is.  It would be hard to get 
a tight cloth.  Sprang might be possible, but still would probably be 
more open than weaving.

This suggests nalbinding with cowtails as softer, while not as long.
https://siglindesarts.wordpress.com/2012/04/28/naalbinding-sieves-and-strainers/
https://siglindesarts.wordpress.com/2013/08/08/playing-with-horsehair-and-cleaning-up-my-tack-box/
This one is about fishing, but has a source for horsehair.
https://siglindesarts.wordpress.com/medieval-fishing/

Making horsehair sieves circa 1818
http://www.historyofredding.com/HRG&Bphotos.htm

Here someone has them for sale
http://www.hitachiya.com/index.php/archives/756
"Unlike sieves made of stainless steel and nylon ,horse hair sieves 
being incredibly fine are capable of removing all fiber from 
ingredients making a smooth creamy consistency."

And more
http://blog.daum.net/sieve/202
http://www.mtckitchen.com/p-172-horse-hair-tamis.aspx

Another horsehair sieve with a plaid cloth
http://www.cowanauctions.com/auctions/item.aspx?ItemId=31740

And here is a link to the Florithingy
http://www.florilegium.org/files/FOOD-UTENSILS/strainers-msg.rtf

Ranvaig

>There are two possibilities that come to mind.  A band of thin wood 
>shaped in a circle with a finer weave of horse hair than you 
>commonly find today or a strainer made by a single needle weave or 
>nalbinding, which looks something like a heavy knit cap..  Given the 
>date and location, it's probably the former.  Modernly, a metal mesh 
>strainer will produce similar results.
>
>Bear
>
>>Is this similar to the (horse) hair cloth ones buys now days?  Although the
>>range and quality of hair cloth seems to be in decline from what gather. I
>>have bought the best I can find.
>>
>>Glenn