Making a Stone-age Style Wooden Comb

I'm at a Stone-age gathering at Swifterkamp in the Netherlands this week, and decided I really should comb my hair. inspired by Neolithic examples, I've made a comb or two out of Viburnum wood.

[GrainneDhub-llvw]

How interesting! Considering how pleasurable it can be to run a comb through one's hair or to have a comb run through one's hair, I can imagine that more than one bright and hopeful young person made a courting gift, hoping to find favour in the heart of a certain someone.

[Afatsarcasticstartrekfan]

Thank you for these videos, once again proving that ancient doesn't mean stupid.

[cherylburkitt]

Awww..these combs are awesome and so cute❤😊 💓 and work so good.. well done!

[Rouverius]

Oh, that looks both functional and lovely. I wonder if it might even make a nice decorative comb to keep the hair up.

[pilgrimbruce]

I think its important to emphasize that a comb is actually an important hygiene tool. Regularly combing your hair removes nasty critters like ticks and lice. It also removes dirt and detritus like leaves, grass, and twigs. Anyone who has gone camping for a number of days knows this can be a problem. This was very important before shampoo was invented.

[MsAnpassad]

When you bend the wood, twist it where you want the bend to be, that prevents some splintering.

[bensabelhaus]

:high-five: Crazy hair club! Same as my mother and grandmother. Though Grandmas red hair was blondish brown in Mom, brown in me then back to moms hair in my son :) Took 4 decades and Covid restrictions on haircuts to finally say screw it and let it grow. Trying to figure it out now lol

Love how you showed your learning progress. I have made a few woven shades out of palm for my bearded dragon and every one is a little better / slightly altered technique. Made my first piece of cordage out of swamp grass a couple weeks ago. Very basic, horrible weave pattern, but I made cordage and wove it into a crappy bracelet. Couldn't be prouder of myself lol

[nadineanderson]

That was such a great little film full of tips.I am going to try it with some willow and crocosmia cordage. I wondered if a little warm/hot water would help the sticks be more compliant on the bend? I will try bending the willow over a whole rod or my basketmakers bodkin, so the bend has something to tension the wood against.Thanks so much Sally they are a beautiful functional object❤

[BryanKoenig]

I love your videos this is an awesome thing to experiment with it's amazing the way we would make things out of simple materials. Thanks for sharing your ideas they are awesome

[antonemberbroque]

I wonder if one could use these combs for wool or other fiber work.

[wendymoyer]

I love your videos! They are so educational, and practical, and interesting!

[soniatriana]

Hello Sally! Wow! You truly made my morning! I was soooo intrigued by your comb project!! It was phenomenal to watch & to see all the steps that resulted in your very beautiful & amazing comb!!
How many people can say they know how to make a useful comb from the branches of a shrub!!
You are a very determined & passionate woman!! Congratulations on being so unique & talented! You’re very impressive & inspiring! It’s so wonderful to see how people from long along were so ingenious in their skills!!

[SurvivalistStuffWatcherr]

3:33 That flint knife is very impressive!

[penniecormier]

I never thought about making a comb that way! 💕 That’s new, I love it!

[alaskabarb]

Great project, Sally! I’d like to try that, despite the near-certainty of a couple splinters, first-degree burns, and a bit of blood on the wooden stump before completion😎.🔪🌿🔥✍🏻🩸

[debbiej.]

Your videos are always interesting. I'm a little surprised that little comb seemed to work so well.

[royworks]

It always amazes me how well primitive tools works so well. Great job!

[amandajstar]

I love everything about this -- not least the 'necklace' along the neckline of Sally's top. Groovy. They'll never have that at M&S!

[dierampe]

0:41
Hi Sally
I live only 2 hours away from the Netherlands (in Germany). The plant you are showing is also very common here on every roadside. In my opinion this is not Viburnum costaricanum (which grows in Costa Rica) but a dogwood plant, probably Cornus sanguinea.

[MMacNicol]

Wonderful! Those viking bone combs have intimidated me, for making one, but this video really makes creating a wood one look possible for me! Thank you so much.