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Any good substitute for a horse-tail fly-whisk?
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Dave Rove
Jul 22, 2013, 10:28:35 AM7/22/13
to
When I was a kid, we had an old horse-tail fly-whisk in the house. It was
easy to swing fast and accurately, the hair would spread out in a fan as
you swung it, you didn't have to worry too much about it hitting obstacles
since it was made from hair, and it would hit the fly hard enough to
damage its wings or stun it so that it could then be picked up with a
tissue.
The stupid plastic-disk fly-swatters that you can buy these days, are no
good for hitting an airborne fly, tend to damage anything else that gets
in the way, and squash the fly into a mess on the rare occasion that you
manage to hit one.
So during this hot weather, I have to choke on that stinky chemical that's
added to fly-spray to discourage you from overdosing on permethrin. If I
haven't put food out, that is, which attracts the flies, yet I don't want
to eat a permethrin sandwich.
A few years back, I'd searched in vain for a horse-tail fly-whisk and
aside from brittle antique-shop examples, it seemed evident that it was an
object from an age gone by. But today, a quick check on Amazon and Ebay
tells me rather surprisingly, you can now get horse-tail fly-whisks,
mostly imported from Africa, it seems. For about �50.
So I'm actually finding myself considering paying �50 for a fly-whisk? But
am I missing a trick? Surely it can't be that difficult to find a good
way to take down flies, these days, without paying that much?
easy to swing fast and accurately, the hair would spread out in a fan as
you swung it, you didn't have to worry too much about it hitting obstacles
since it was made from hair, and it would hit the fly hard enough to
damage its wings or stun it so that it could then be picked up with a
tissue.
The stupid plastic-disk fly-swatters that you can buy these days, are no
good for hitting an airborne fly, tend to damage anything else that gets
in the way, and squash the fly into a mess on the rare occasion that you
manage to hit one.
So during this hot weather, I have to choke on that stinky chemical that's
added to fly-spray to discourage you from overdosing on permethrin. If I
haven't put food out, that is, which attracts the flies, yet I don't want
to eat a permethrin sandwich.
A few years back, I'd searched in vain for a horse-tail fly-whisk and
aside from brittle antique-shop examples, it seemed evident that it was an
object from an age gone by. But today, a quick check on Amazon and Ebay
tells me rather surprisingly, you can now get horse-tail fly-whisks,
mostly imported from Africa, it seems. For about �50.
So I'm actually finding myself considering paying �50 for a fly-whisk? But
am I missing a trick? Surely it can't be that difficult to find a good
way to take down flies, these days, without paying that much?
John Williamson
Jul 22, 2013, 10:39:36 AM7/22/13
to
Dave Rove wrote:
> So I'm actually finding myself considering paying �50 for a fly-whisk? But
> am I missing a trick? Surely it can't be that difficult to find a good
> way to take down flies, these days, without paying that much?
Maybe have a word with an abbatoir that deals with horses, or, if there
> So I'm actually finding myself considering paying �50 for a fly-whisk? But
> am I missing a trick? Surely it can't be that difficult to find a good
> way to take down flies, these days, without paying that much?
are still any about, a horse knacker (If that's the phrase I want.)
Maybe even have a word with a local stable, as some of them trim the
horses' tails and manes to look neater in competitions.
Then ask in uk.d-i-y how to make one....
--
Tciao for Now!
John.
Phil Cook
Jul 22, 2013, 11:04:25 AM7/22/13
to
On 22/07/2013 15:28, Dave Rove wrote:
> When I was a kid, we had an old horse-tail fly-whisk in the house.
> When I was a kid, we had an old horse-tail fly-whisk in the house.
> A few years back, I'd searched in vain for a horse-tail fly-whisk and
> aside from brittle antique-shop examples, it seemed evident that it was an
> object from an age gone by. But today, a quick check on Amazon and Ebay
> tells me rather surprisingly, you can now get horse-tail fly-whisks,
> mostly imported from Africa, it seems. For about £50.
>
> So I'm actually finding myself considering paying £50 for a fly-whisk? But
> am I missing a trick? Surely it can't be that difficult to find a good
> way to take down flies, these days, without paying that much?
There seem to be ones for less zu on amazon...
> aside from brittle antique-shop examples, it seemed evident that it was an
> object from an age gone by. But today, a quick check on Amazon and Ebay
> tells me rather surprisingly, you can now get horse-tail fly-whisks,
> mostly imported from Africa, it seems. For about £50.
>
> So I'm actually finding myself considering paying £50 for a fly-whisk? But
> am I missing a trick? Surely it can't be that difficult to find a good
> way to take down flies, these days, without paying that much?
with synthetic hair it must be said.
--
Phil Cook
Nthkentman
Jul 22, 2013, 12:22:33 PM7/22/13
to
I use a short "Pony Basher" horse whip with genuine out of the arse of my
horses tail horse hair. Approx 400mm long or so
Ask a local riding school/yard if anyone can help.
Using the strands from the tail, have one of the girls at the yard plait the
end about 4" back, attach to the pony basher using thin string around the
hair and shaft of the basher and seal with varnish.
This system works well and kills without mashing up the bluebottles
Richard Robinson
Jul 22, 2013, 12:51:13 PM7/22/13
to
somewhere.
--
Richard Robinson
"The whole plan hinged upon the natural curiosity of potatoes" - S. Lem
My email address is at http://www.qualmograph.org.uk/contact.html
R C Nesbit
Jul 22, 2013, 1:24:04 PM7/22/13
to
Dave Rove spoke:
for the space it is likely to occupy once it has sensed the air movement
of the approaching swatter.
--
Eno P. Arfovg
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing.
If you can fake that, you've got it made
> The stupid plastic-disk fly-swatters that you can buy these days, are no
> good for hitting an airborne fly, tend to damage anything else that gets
> in the way, and squash the fly into a mess on the rare occasion that you
> manage to hit one.
Apparently the trick with swatting flies is not to aim *at* the fly but
> good for hitting an airborne fly, tend to damage anything else that gets
> in the way, and squash the fly into a mess on the rare occasion that you
> manage to hit one.
for the space it is likely to occupy once it has sensed the air movement
of the approaching swatter.
--
Eno P. Arfovg
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing.
If you can fake that, you've got it made
Sleepalot
Jul 22, 2013, 1:40:45 PM7/22/13
to
have suitable material; thread/yarn/string/fishing line/...
Thomas Prufer
Jul 22, 2013, 1:51:54 PM7/22/13
to
On Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:28:35 +0100, Dave Rove <dave...@zzz.invalid> wrote:
> Surely it can't be that difficult to find a good
>way to take down flies, these days, without paying that much?
The modern way is with a "foetsie".
> Surely it can't be that difficult to find a good
>way to take down flies, these days, without paying that much?
Works, and is satisfying.
Thomas Prufer
Message has been deleted
RustyHinge
Jul 22, 2013, 3:19:52 PM7/22/13
to
On 22/07/13 18:24, R C Nesbit wrote:
> Apparently the trick with swatting flies is not to aim*at* the fly but
--
Rusty Hinge
> Apparently the trick with swatting flies is not to aim*at* the fly but
> for the space it is likely to occupy once it has sensed the air movement
> of the approaching swatter.
And unforget - alarmed flies take-off backwards...
> of the approaching swatter.
--
Rusty Hinge
RustyHinge
Jul 22, 2013, 3:21:42 PM7/22/13
to
On 22/07/13 19:41, Znep wrote:
> Do you know anyone who owns a horse?
I know loads of people (round here) who own a horse/horses.
--
Rusty Hinge
> Do you know anyone who owns a horse?
I know loads of people (round here) who own a horse/horses.
--
Rusty Hinge
Message has been deleted
Redrawn Buns
Jul 22, 2013, 4:03:16 PM7/22/13
to
Richard Robinson wrote:
> John Williamson said:
>> Dave Rove wrote:
>>> So I'm actually finding myself considering paying £50 for a fly-whisk? But
>>> am I missing a trick? Surely it can't be that difficult to find a good
>>> way to take down flies, these days, without paying that much?
>>
>> Maybe have a word with an abbatoir that deals with horses, or, if there
>> are still any about, a horse knacker (If that's the phrase I want.)
>>
>> Maybe even have a word with a local stable, as some of them trim the
>> horses' tails and manes to look neater in competitions.
>>
>> Then ask in uk.d-i-y how to make one....
>
> People who restring violin bows do it with horsehair. There must be suppliers
> somewhere.
Pottery supplies places (burning horse hair is burned in raku firing)
> John Williamson said:
>> Dave Rove wrote:
>>> So I'm actually finding myself considering paying £50 for a fly-whisk? But
>>> am I missing a trick? Surely it can't be that difficult to find a good
>>> way to take down flies, these days, without paying that much?
>>
>> Maybe have a word with an abbatoir that deals with horses, or, if there
>> are still any about, a horse knacker (If that's the phrase I want.)
>>
>> Maybe even have a word with a local stable, as some of them trim the
>> horses' tails and manes to look neater in competitions.
>>
>> Then ask in uk.d-i-y how to make one....
>
> People who restring violin bows do it with horsehair. There must be suppliers
> somewhere.
Judith
Jul 22, 2013, 4:32:37 PM7/22/13
to
In article <mk2ru8p4ucf3m32fj...@4ax.com>,
Znep <E-0C0013...@cleopatra.co.uk> wrote:
> In uk.rec.sheds, (RustyHinge) wrote in <ksk0ci$u8p$2...@dont-email.me>::
>
> NB - anyone with a horsehair-stuffed sofa: you could be sitting on a
> fortune!
Find several dozen stringed-instrument players (violin, cello, viola,
string bass) who have old bows they don't need.
Judith
--
Bagpipe?! I thought it was a spider in a tartan sweater.
-Eccles
Znep <E-0C0013...@cleopatra.co.uk> wrote:
> In uk.rec.sheds, (RustyHinge) wrote in <ksk0ci$u8p$2...@dont-email.me>::
>
> >On 22/07/13 19:41, Znep wrote:
> >
> >> Do you know anyone who owns a horse?
> >
> >I know loads of people (round here) who own a horse/horses.
>
> Hmmmm. Get collecting any spare tail hairs.
> >On 22/07/13 19:41, Znep wrote:
> >
> >> Do you know anyone who owns a horse?
> >
> >I know loads of people (round here) who own a horse/horses.
>
>
> NB - anyone with a horsehair-stuffed sofa: you could be sitting on a
> fortune!
Find several dozen stringed-instrument players (violin, cello, viola,
string bass) who have old bows they don't need.
Judith
--
Bagpipe?! I thought it was a spider in a tartan sweater.
-Eccles
Message has been deleted
Redrawn Buns
Jul 22, 2013, 5:21:57 PM7/22/13
to
Huge wrote:
> We have one of these;
> http://www.theexecutioner.co.uk/html/
that's OK if you like sploded flies everywhere, people seem to have a
tendency of using them around food tables at BBQs
> We have one of these;
> http://www.theexecutioner.co.uk/html/
that's OK if you like sploded flies everywhere, people seem to have a
tendency of using them around food tables at BBQs
Frank Erskine
Jul 22, 2013, 6:00:33 PM7/22/13
to
On 22 Jul 2013 21:11:15 GMT, Huge <Hu...@nowhere.much.invalid> wrote:
>On 2013-07-22, Richard Robinson <rich...@privacy.net> wrote:
>> John Williamson said:
>>> Dave Rove wrote:
>>>> So I'm actually finding myself considering paying £50 for a fly-whisk? But
>>>> am I missing a trick? Surely it can't be that difficult to find a good
>>>> way to take down flies, these days, without paying that much?
>>>
>>> Maybe have a word with an abbatoir that deals with horses, or, if there
>>> are still any about, a horse knacker (If that's the phrase I want.)
>>>
>>> Maybe even have a word with a local stable, as some of them trim the
>>> horses' tails and manes to look neater in competitions.
>>>
>>> Then ask in uk.d-i-y how to make one....
>>
>> People who restring violin bows do it with horsehair. There must be suppliers
>> somewhere.
>
Anyone for tennis?
--
Frank
>On 2013-07-22, Richard Robinson <rich...@privacy.net> wrote:
>> John Williamson said:
>>> Dave Rove wrote:
>>>> So I'm actually finding myself considering paying £50 for a fly-whisk? But
>>>> am I missing a trick? Surely it can't be that difficult to find a good
>>>> way to take down flies, these days, without paying that much?
>>>
>>> Maybe have a word with an abbatoir that deals with horses, or, if there
>>> are still any about, a horse knacker (If that's the phrase I want.)
>>>
>>> Maybe even have a word with a local stable, as some of them trim the
>>> horses' tails and manes to look neater in competitions.
>>>
>>> Then ask in uk.d-i-y how to make one....
>>
>> People who restring violin bows do it with horsehair. There must be suppliers
>> somewhere.
>
--
Frank
Richard Robinson
Jul 22, 2013, 10:31:21 PM7/22/13
to
>> John Williamson said:
>>> Dave Rove wrote:
>>>> So I'm actually finding myself considering paying £50 for a fly-whisk? But
>>>> am I missing a trick? Surely it can't be that difficult to find a good
>>>> way to take down flies, these days, without paying that much?
>>>
>>> Maybe have a word with an abbatoir that deals with horses, or, if there
>>> are still any about, a horse knacker (If that's the phrase I want.)
>>>
>>> Maybe even have a word with a local stable, as some of them trim the
>>> horses' tails and manes to look neater in competitions.
>>>
>>> Then ask in uk.d-i-y how to make one....
>>
>> People who restring violin bows do it with horsehair. There must be suppliers
>> somewhere.
>
Fly tennis.
>>> Dave Rove wrote:
>>>> So I'm actually finding myself considering paying £50 for a fly-whisk? But
>>>> am I missing a trick? Surely it can't be that difficult to find a good
>>>> way to take down flies, these days, without paying that much?
>>>
>>> Maybe have a word with an abbatoir that deals with horses, or, if there
>>> are still any about, a horse knacker (If that's the phrase I want.)
>>>
>>> Maybe even have a word with a local stable, as some of them trim the
>>> horses' tails and manes to look neater in competitions.
>>>
>>> Then ask in uk.d-i-y how to make one....
>>
>> People who restring violin bows do it with horsehair. There must be suppliers
>> somewhere.
>
What was that old story about freezing them with some kind of aerosol ?
Nicholas D. Richards
Jul 23, 2013, 6:21:55 AM7/23/13
to
In article <JUJU-C6B511.1...@free.teranews.com>, Judith
<JU...@withouta.net> on Mon, 22 Jul 2013 at 16:32:37 awoke Nicholas from
his slumbers and wrote
--
Nicholas David Richards -
"O� sont les neiges d'antan?"
<JU...@withouta.net> on Mon, 22 Jul 2013 at 16:32:37 awoke Nicholas from
his slumbers and wrote
>
>Find several dozen stringed-instrument players (violin, cello, viola,
>string bass) who have old bows they don't need.
>
>Judith
>
Speaking as an old beau, I hope I am still of some use to someone.
>Find several dozen stringed-instrument players (violin, cello, viola,
>string bass) who have old bows they don't need.
>
>Judith
>
--
Nicholas David Richards -
"O� sont les neiges d'antan?"
Ahem A Rivet's Shot
Jul 23, 2013, 4:12:19 PM7/23/13
to
On Mon, 22 Jul 2013 19:41:26 +0100
Znep <E-0C0013...@cleopatra.co.uk> wrote:
> Do you know anyone who owns a horse?
There's three ponies and a donkey here for reasons I do not fully
Znep <E-0C0013...@cleopatra.co.uk> wrote:
> Do you know anyone who owns a horse?
understand.
--
Steve O'Hara-Smith | Directable Mirror Arrays
C:>WIN | A better way to focus the sun
The computer obeys and wins. | licences available see
You lose and Bill collects. | http://www.sohara.org/
Judith
Jul 23, 2013, 4:30:30 PM7/23/13
to
In article <fsEJBuAD...@salmiron.co.uk>,
"Nicholas D. Richards" <nich...@salmiron.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> In article <JUJU-C6B511.1...@free.teranews.com>, Judith
> <JU...@withouta.net> on Mon, 22 Jul 2013 at 16:32:37 awoke Nicholas from
> his slumbers and wrote
> >
> >Find several dozen stringed-instrument players (violin, cello, viola,
> >string bass) who have old bows they don't need.
> >
> >Judith
> >
> Speaking as an old beau, I hope I am still of some use to someone.
You can darken my towels any day.
> In article <JUJU-C6B511.1...@free.teranews.com>, Judith
> <JU...@withouta.net> on Mon, 22 Jul 2013 at 16:32:37 awoke Nicholas from
> his slumbers and wrote
> >
> >Find several dozen stringed-instrument players (violin, cello, viola,
> >string bass) who have old bows they don't need.
> >
> >Judith
> >
> Speaking as an old beau, I hope I am still of some use to someone.
John Williamson
Jul 23, 2013, 4:34:17 PM7/23/13
to
Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
> On Mon, 22 Jul 2013 19:41:26 +0100
> Znep <E-0C0013...@cleopatra.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Do you know anyone who owns a horse?
>
> There's three ponies and a donkey here for reasons I do not fully
> understand.
>
The donkey's easy to explain. It's there to keep the ponies company.
> On Mon, 22 Jul 2013 19:41:26 +0100
> Znep <E-0C0013...@cleopatra.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Do you know anyone who owns a horse?
>
> There's three ponies and a donkey here for reasons I do not fully
> understand.
>
Nicholas D. Richards
Jul 23, 2013, 6:03:36 PM7/23/13
to
In article <JUJU-BB13B9.1...@free.teranews.com>, Judith
<JU...@withouta.net> on Tue, 23 Jul 2013 at 16:30:30 awoke Nicholas from
:(
<JU...@withouta.net> on Tue, 23 Jul 2013 at 16:30:30 awoke Nicholas from
his slumbers and wrote
>In article <fsEJBuAD...@salmiron.co.uk>,
> "Nicholas D. Richards" <nich...@salmiron.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> In article <JUJU-C6B511.1...@free.teranews.com>, Judith
>> <JU...@withouta.net> on Mon, 22 Jul 2013 at 16:32:37 awoke Nicholas from
>> his slumbers and wrote
>> >
>> >Find several dozen stringed-instrument players (violin, cello, viola,
>> >string bass) who have old bows they don't need.
>> >
>> >Judith
>> >
>> Speaking as an old beau, I hope I am still of some use to someone.
>
>You can darken my towels any day.
>
In the words of the old song, "My wife won't let me".
>In article <fsEJBuAD...@salmiron.co.uk>,
> "Nicholas D. Richards" <nich...@salmiron.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> In article <JUJU-C6B511.1...@free.teranews.com>, Judith
>> <JU...@withouta.net> on Mon, 22 Jul 2013 at 16:32:37 awoke Nicholas from
>> his slumbers and wrote
>> >
>> >Find several dozen stringed-instrument players (violin, cello, viola,
>> >string bass) who have old bows they don't need.
>> >
>> >Judith
>> >
>> Speaking as an old beau, I hope I am still of some use to someone.
>
>You can darken my towels any day.
>
:(
--
Nicholas David Richards -
"Oů sont les neiges d'antan?"
Nicholas David Richards -
Nun the Wizer
Jul 24, 2013, 12:40:05 AM7/24/13
to
Ahem A Rivet's Shot <ste...@eircom.net> writes
--
Nun the Wizer
>On Mon, 22 Jul 2013 19:41:26 +0100
>Znep <E-0C0013...@cleopatra.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Do you know anyone who owns a horse?
>
> There's three ponies and a donkey here for reasons I do not fully
>understand.
>
No monkeys? Pah! Small beer.
>Znep <E-0C0013...@cleopatra.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Do you know anyone who owns a horse?
>
> There's three ponies and a donkey here for reasons I do not fully
>understand.
>
--
Nun the Wizer
Dave Rove
Jul 24, 2013, 3:44:35 AM7/24/13
to
Sleepalot <sleep...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>Dave Rove <dave...@zzz.invalid> wrote:
>
>>When I was a kid, we had an old horse-tail fly-whisk in the house. It was
>>easy to swing fast and accurately, the hair would spread out in a fan as
>>you swung it, you didn't have to worry too much about it hitting obstacles
>>since it was made from hair, and it would hit the fly hard enough to ...
>Dave Rove <dave...@zzz.invalid> wrote:
>
>>When I was a kid, we had an old horse-tail fly-whisk in the house. It was
>>easy to swing fast and accurately, the hair would spread out in a fan as
>>you swung it, you didn't have to worry too much about it hitting obstacles
>
>My experiment with a piece of string suggests you could make one - if you
>have suitable material; thread/yarn/string/fishing line/...
Good point. I don't know anybody that owns a horse, so I'll investigate
>My experiment with a piece of string suggests you could make one - if you
>have suitable material; thread/yarn/string/fishing line/...
that when I've got a bit of spare time.
Message has been deleted
RustyHinge
Jul 25, 2013, 8:29:57 AM7/25/13
to
On 24/07/13 12:21, Sn!pe wrote:
> John Williamson <johnwil...@btinternet.com> wrote:
>
> [...]
You'd be surprised at what pretty things you may find in their beds.
--
Rusty Hinge
> John Williamson <johnwil...@btinternet.com> wrote:
>
> [...]
>
>>>> Do you know anyone who owns a horse?
>>>
>>> There's three ponies and a donkey here for reasons I do not fully
>>> understand.
>>>
>> The donkey's easy to explain. It's there to keep the ponies company.
>
> I didn't know that peonies like company.
>>>> Do you know anyone who owns a horse?
>>>
>>> There's three ponies and a donkey here for reasons I do not fully
>>> understand.
>>>
>> The donkey's easy to explain. It's there to keep the ponies company.
>
You'd be surprised at what pretty things you may find in their beds.
--
Rusty Hinge
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