Zulu Club ?

kronckew · 31st May 2020, 05:00 PM

Since the telephone made the coloured wire available, it's use has exploded for decorative work on way more items than mere weapons. They, like most cultures like bright colours on stuff.

Tiny beads like those are another matter, if they are not plastic, consider how difficult and expensive they would be to make, especially drilling the central hole. Preindustrial wire manufacture, hand drawing, was also labour intensive and expensive.

Modern wirework incorporates beads as well, as they are mass produced in bulk and cheap. As is the wire.

Streetwires

Wirework

Wire History

Native Americans did it, and, like the Zulu, covered a lot of things in them. beaded shoes (moccasins), belts,weapons, etc. So the Shona/Zulu would have been as able. I suspect, like Native Americans, it was decorative and showed the wealth and status of the wearer who could afford the work being done on their stuff. On an impact weapon I suspect it's be more ceremonial as it'd be easy to damage the beading compared to the more normal iron/brass braided reinforceing bands.

drac2k · 31st May 2020, 08:28 PM

I'm pretty sure that the beads are not plastic and the medium connecting them is the consistency of your average thread, not metal;I'm guessing there are at least 4500 beads.

M ELEY · 31st May 2020, 11:56 PM

Very nice club! You could technically try the old 'hot needle' test on one of the beads to see if its plastic. This trick has been used for years to differentiate plastic from fake ivory/bone/scrimshaw, etc. Plastic will of course smell like heated plastic, while ceramic bead should not...

kronckew · 1st June 2020, 06:34 AM

Plant fibre (ie cotton) thread was used before metallic wire, so if ceramic beads, organic thread, it's old old

. Plastic and polyester thread, not so old

Musta been fun counting the beads.

drac2k · 1st June 2020, 03:57 PM

The beads passed the "hot needle test," and they are not resin or plastic. The thread is plant fiber.
Counting beads during a pandemic is just another form of diversion, besides I cheated; thirty-plus beads per row, 150 plus rows of beads equals at least 4500 pcs. allowing for human counting error.

31st May 2020, 05:00 PM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,239	Since the telephone made the coloured wire available, it's use has exploded for decorative work on way more items than mere weapons. They, like most cultures like bright colours on stuff. Tiny beads like those are another matter, if they are not plastic, consider how difficult and expensive they would be to make, especially drilling the central hole. Preindustrial wire manufacture, hand drawing, was also labour intensive and expensive. Modern wirework incorporates beads as well, as they are mass produced in bulk and cheap. As is the wire. Streetwires Wirework Wire History Native Americans did it, and, like the Zulu, covered a lot of things in them. beaded shoes (moccasins), belts,weapons, etc. So the Shona/Zulu would have been as able. I suspect, like Native Americans, it was decorative and showed the wealth and status of the wearer who could afford the work being done on their stuff. On an impact weapon I suspect it's be more ceremonial as it'd be easy to damage the beading compared to the more normal iron/brass braided reinforceing bands.

31st May 2020, 08:28 PM	#2
drac2k Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,269	I'm pretty sure that the beads are not plastic and the medium connecting them is the consistency of your average thread, not metal;I'm guessing there are at least 4500 beads.

31st May 2020, 11:56 PM	#3
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,184	Very nice club! You could technically try the old 'hot needle' test on one of the beads to see if its plastic. This trick has been used for years to differentiate plastic from fake ivory/bone/scrimshaw, etc. Plastic will of course smell like heated plastic, while ceramic bead should not...

1st June 2020, 06:34 AM	#4
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,239	Plant fibre (ie cotton) thread was used before metallic wire, so if ceramic beads, organic thread, it's old old . Plastic and polyester thread, not so old Musta been fun counting the beads.

1st June 2020, 03:57 PM	#5
drac2k Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,269	The beads passed the "hot needle test," and they are not resin or plastic. The thread is plant fiber. Counting beads during a pandemic is just another form of diversion, besides I cheated; thirty-plus beads per row, 150 plus rows of beads equals at least 4500 pcs. allowing for human counting error.