Posted on 04/15/2014 8:36:10 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar
Cut off some cross-shaped chunks from the chicken wire using a bolt cutter. Then cut the ends off again at an angle to make them sharp. Watch out for flying bits of sharp metal hitting you in the eye.
Bend the sharp wires as shown. You're done!
Be super careful with these nasty things and don't leave them lying around. These are only to carry in your pouch at the renaissance festival as part of your costume.
My Grandmother had a tree that had spikes like that. We cut them off and put cotton on the dull end. We would use a straw as a blow gun.
Lots of fun.
Here is a better pic with the flower included. You can see that there are two thorns growing from the same node even though the tip of one is out of the frame. Makes them more effective as caltrops.
The botanical info I'm finding while searching for the pics calls it a stout bush. My sis's Mean Tree was a tree. Must have been 25' tall and sturdy enough for me to climb (with a ladder) to gather the hawthorn berries.
My Grandma’s tree was a tree. Better than forty foot high. May be the same.
Ever step barefoot on the ‘fruit’ of a weed called a ‘goathead’?
Man, that’ll get your attention!
Yes!
In coal country and elsewhere, union members toss them on the ground in order to pop the tires of ‘scabs’ and management.
Plus, a bunch of them in a bowl on the coffee table is a real conversation starter.
That's supposed to be the range but it's not very specific. There are other species of Crataegus too but I don't know if any grow as big or have thorns that big.
LOL! Best laugh I have had in days ... thanks.
It don’t look like chicken wire, it looks like welded mesh like heavy fencing wire. Good for bare feet or thin soled shoes.
I believe a hollow core wire would be better for tires.
Goatheads actually are called caltrops in some places. Flatted many a bicycle tire on them (not to mention bare feet) in my uthe. Bot. name Tribulus terrestris. (terror of the earth)
Hmmm... gay pride parade?
I HATE goatheads! HATE HATE HATE! With a passion!
The trees I hate are Mesquite and black locust! I get tractor flats every time I try to brush hog the pasture.
Caltrops were originally produced to hamper cavalry.
We always called those things “tank traps for feet”.
Carlsbad, NM.
Lots of thorny stuff down there. I don’t know if Hawthorn is one of them. Mesquite was mentioned upthread and there are a few species of that. Or related acacia species plants. They aren’t very tree-like though.
I know from having kids that Legos can be almost as effective, especially in the middle of the night when you can’t see them.
I think he must have meant mensch, not wench.
We used to call those things jax. Something about stepping barefooted on one that caused us to be good about picking every one up after playing with them. Even counting them to make sure we got every one.
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