Hemp Comb
Hemp comb
Name/Title
Hemp CombEntry/Object ID
2025.1.976Description
Very heavy iron comb, with 22 spines, set on a stand that can be attached to a solid surface through 4 screw holes.Context
The illustration below shows how the comb would be attached to a bench and how the flax was cleaned of the flowers and seed by dragging it through the comb. The action of pulling the flax through the comb to remove the seeds was called 'scutching' and the person who did it a 'scutcher'. Another part of the preparation process was 'beetling' which was beating the flax to soften and separate the sinews. The hemp comb and the whole process was also referred to as a 'Heckle' or heckling. The drawing below is from' Villages by the Sea', presented by Ben Robinson, Series 4:10, Johnshaven, December 2023 ©BBCCataloged By
Felix LamCategory
Occupation, Tools