Bull's Pizzle

[jimsaddler]

Jim

Thanks for the instructions. I have one I haven't messed with yet. I think I probably ruined the other one. I'll do the the other one by following your instructions. What happens if ya don't salt them and what is and were do ya get alum.

Thanks, Mike

Hey Mike

the salt is to pull the Blood out of the Pizzle and preserve it. The Alum salts are used in old fashioned Tanning it also preserves. Tannin (Tan Bark solution or very strong Tea) can also be used. This stops the tissue swelling in wet weather and the Varnish seals it in.

Kindest Regards. Jim.

[HorsehairBraider]

You used to be able to buy alum at a drug store. I don't know if you still can, I haven't bought any for a while. But that's where I would try first. Failing that, try some place (perhaps online) that sells fibers to spinners; alum is used as a mordant in dyeing fiber.

[megabit]

I think a septic pencil is alum, you might need a lot of them though.

[Hilly]

Stupid question:

Is a pizzle what I think it is?

[Suze]

Stupid question:

Is a pizzle what I think it is?

Yes - Hilly

a bulls "pizzle" is his boy parts - the long one, not the big round ones.......

Grin

[leatheroo]

lol...thanks for asking that question hilly...i was about too....

[Hilly]

Oooooooh, OUCHY OUCHY OUCHY! Not to mention having a wire stuck through it and an anvil hanging off the other end! That's just wrong in so many ways!

[leatheroo]

lol, and then the leatherworker plays with it and makes shapes with it....lol lol

[tonyc1]

lol, and then the leatherworker plays with it and makes shapes with it....lol lol

There may be certain types of females around the world that would like to use the wire and the anvil!!!

Tony.

[Tawse]

Pizzles should be salted with Rock Salt and a long piece of Spring Wire threaded through while they are still wet. the thick end is secured strongly into a rafter or similar with the wire protruding then the thin end is secured to an Anvil or similar weight with plenty of room for it to stretch the Pizzle as it dries 2ft is enough. Rub Salt into it every day and scrape off the tissues gradualy back to flesh and a good shape. If you want a twisted effect simply bind with Copper or Brass wire when you hang it. don't use stell wire as it will stain. It takes at least a week in hot weather up to months in winter. I used to finish off with a sludge of Alum rubbed into the Flesh about midway through the Drying. When Dry Cut the wire to lenth and put a dob of solder or weld on each end. Varnish to preserve it and you should have the Best Handle you can get. They used to be refferred to as Sinew Crops and I've seen some that were over 140 years old and still perfect.

Kindest Regards.

Jim.

Hello,

I have just joined the site hence the late entry. I found your entry incredibly helpful. I tried to fashion a pizzle by curing it with salt. I did not try to stretch it - which was probably a mistake. I did not use a wire rod but the pizzle dried out to resemble an inflexible walking stick. I did not scrape it as it dried but was advised to 'fashion it, once dried, with a spoke shaver. Although this produced a decent shape, I now know that it would have been better using a safety skiver. I oiled the finished product with neatsfoot oil but its flexibilty was lost. I did not use alum (I am not sure how this alters the finished product) although I do know that it is used in tanning. This was probably another mistake.

I was going to try again with dried pet shop pizzles but they are oven dried and I thought that this would alter their tissues to the extent that they would be useless. Any comments please?

I recently aquired a Victorian Pizzle - see pic - I wonder if their methods matched your own. The end result is most impressive.

John