Any tips on the best way of picking nettles/making cordage without the use of gloves to avoid the stings?
Godfather
Godfather
Nettles
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EdS
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
If you run your hands up a nettle it will not sting you!
They only sting when rubbed down the stem/Leaves!
If you are firm and grasp the bottom of the stem with a slight upward movement you will have no trouble!
If that makes sence!
Edit: If you are making cordage, leave the gathered nettles in the sun for a while 1/2hr the sun will break down the acid that creates the sting.
They only sting when rubbed down the stem/Leaves!
If you are firm and grasp the bottom of the stem with a slight upward movement you will have no trouble!
If that makes sence!
Edit: If you are making cordage, leave the gathered nettles in the sun for a while 1/2hr the sun will break down the acid that creates the sting.
Grasp the nettle tightly and where you grab them will be OK but I generally end up stinging my wrists instead. 
Carefully!
Pick the stems carefully, crushing will destroy the stinging 'mechanism' so a kind of nip to hold them is a good idea but a pair of scissors is a better one . If you strip them from the top down the leaves will come off pretty cleanly when they're fresh; just pull your sleeve over your hand or wear a glove. If you wait until they're a bit wilted the leaves tend to pull the skin off with them. Then lay out the stems and either walk along them pressing evenly but firmly, or lay them over a log and beat gently along their length with a stick. This will free the fibre rich skin from the inner woody core material and allow you to peel the bits you want for cordage.
cheers,
Toddy
Pick the stems carefully, crushing will destroy the stinging 'mechanism' so a kind of nip to hold them is a good idea but a pair of scissors is a better one
. If you strip them from the top down the leaves will come off pretty cleanly when they're fresh; just pull your sleeve over your hand or wear a glove. If you wait until they're a bit wilted the leaves tend to pull the skin off with them. Then lay out the stems and either walk along them pressing evenly but firmly, or lay them over a log and beat gently along their length with a stick. This will free the fibre rich skin from the inner woody core material and allow you to peel the bits you want for cordage.cheers,
Toddy
rancid badger
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
why not use a glove?
In 43 years of ' scratting about in the muck' as my mam used to call it, I have always been stung, regardless of grip, direction or moon-phase! when I gather nettles, if I have forgotten my gloves, I use the method taught me by a one legged bloke with a glass eye and severe dandruff; grab them as near the base as possible, yark them out and then use a good fistful of dock leaves gripped around the stem of the nettle and pull the stalk through, stripping the leaves as you go.
seriously, this works a treat but you always get a few little 'buds' left behind, regardless of method and these tend to catch you. I also get stung on the wrists by the way, even when wearing long sleeves! it just goes to show you never can tell.
happy yarking!
In 43 years of ' scratting about in the muck' as my mam used to call it, I have always been stung, regardless of grip, direction or moon-phase! when I gather nettles, if I have forgotten my gloves, I use the method taught me by a one legged bloke with a glass eye and severe dandruff; grab them as near the base as possible, yark them out and then use a good fistful of dock leaves gripped around the stem of the nettle and pull the stalk through, stripping the leaves as you go.
seriously, this works a treat but you always get a few little 'buds' left behind, regardless of method and these tend to catch you. I also get stung on the wrists by the way, even when wearing long sleeves! it just goes to show you never can tell.
happy yarking!
AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH.
Just tried the holding them at the base and quickly stripped the leaves to the tip. Second time I didn't get stung (maybe my hands were already at max sting to hand ratio!). Incidently Spamel, were you offering your services?
Just tried the holding them at the base and quickly stripped the leaves to the tip. Second time I didn't get stung (maybe my hands were already at max sting to hand ratio!). Incidently Spamel, were you offering your services?
woodwalker
Need to contact Admin...
I was picking nettles last week, and although I was carefully picking them from the base I still got stung. It was always where I had a small sort of abrasion on my finger from the sanding something earlier in the day (it wasn't even on a belt sander, I was just using my index finger to balance the wood as I scraped it over the block - soon thinned my finger down!).. This meant that any stingy juice on the nettles after the had been beatennwith a stick just soaked straight into those few millimetres of skin and made it rather painful! - Imagine being constantly stung in the same place over and over again. .
Anyway what's wrong with using gloves? I would have thought it would be the sensible option. You could use leather pouches instead I suppose like the ones John Fenna has made, in order to save on having to carry the gloves. The only reason I never wear them is because its the one thing I consistently forget when going into the woods
.
woodwalker
.Anyway what's wrong with using gloves? I would have thought it would be the sensible option. You could use leather pouches instead I suppose like the ones John Fenna has made, in order to save on having to carry the gloves. The only reason I never wear them is because its the one thing I consistently forget when going into the woods
.woodwalker
Stanley, green leather, gardening ones, cost me £16 a couple of years ago but they've been excellent. Proper fingers and no hard seams to rub into blisters.
That said, the £ stores are selling rubber dipped fabric gloves just now and they're very good for working nettles; they aren't even all flowery
I know a lot of the guys swear by the ex-army or raf ones from army surplus at £5 though.
cheers,
Toddy
That said, the £ stores are selling rubber dipped fabric gloves just now and they're very good for working nettles; they aren't even all flowery
I know a lot of the guys swear by the ex-army or raf ones from army surplus at £5 though.
cheers,
Toddy
As everyone has said.. Grasp the nettle firmly with your thumb and forefinger with a sligh upwards motion as you pinch. This will prevent most stings but you WILL still get stung a few times, mainly from brushing the leaves on your wrists Don't worry about it. The first time I was brave enough to grab nettles was in a pub beer garden. A little courage helps the first time XD. You'll get used to it. 
Don't worry about it. The first time I was brave enough to grab nettles was in a pub beer garden. A little courage helps the first time XD. You'll get used to it. 
