Human Hair Fishing Lines

[Paul Roberts]

I was looking into the development/evolution of fishing lines after reading about the limitations early woven fiber lines presented to the earliest spinning/“threadline” reels. And I came upon this interesting piece: The use/incorporation of human hair in fishing lines by a “very well known fishing tackle maker”. I wonder who that would have been? The referenced article —in the British weekly, Cassell’s Saturday Journal— is not dated, but Cassell’s ran from 1884 to 1921.

The author of the Tenkara piece (yeah, no reels involved) wove her own human hair leaders and found them effective. She even had them tested and found a very high tensile strength.

https://tenkaraangler.com/2023/05/24/th ... ing-lines/

[Steve]

After being damaged in its first battle with the Virginia (nee Merrimack), the Monitor was repaired with human hair between the plates of its new bridge, helping it survive the second battle. Ironically, the hair had been gathered entirely from POWs.

[Terry Battisti]

I would put money on it being Mary Orvis Marbury, daughter of Charles Orvis. 1856-1914.

[Paul Roberts]

The old article was published in Britain so I’m assuming it was a British company. And the tenkara article (with link) is current. An interesting piece I thought.