Breaking News From the BBC: American Invents the Devil's Rope

[mawnansmiff]

Quite a fascinating read.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40448594
Regards,
Jay.

 

[fadingdaylight]

Very cool, thank you.

 

[warren]

I read it a couple days ago. I used to collect wire, best piece from a gulag in Magadan, Far Eastern Russia. There are some really strange styles around, some with history and some worth a bunch of money to collectors.
Cattlemen came to embrace the wire after a couple years of resistance. They found it not only kept steers our, it also kept steers in.

 

[zackery]

Nice to know the history of something I have come to despise after a lifetime of putting up fence. Still using barb wire as it was originally used back then except now we have augers and fence stretchers (thankfully). Now if someone would only invent an easier way to unroll those damn spools in hard to reach places like woods, hillsides, and across creek beds.

 

[jpmcwjr]

The advertisements of the time touted it as "The Greatest Discovery Of The Age", patented by Joseph Glidden, of De Kalb Illinois. Gates described it more poetically: "lighter than air, stronger than whiskey, cheaper than dust".

Most educated folks even back then knew the difference between an invention and discovery. Maybe the advertisers didn't? I didn't see any ads so claiming, but liked this one:

 

[jpmcwjr]

Here's another good one. Notice- no "discovery"....It's pure invention.

 

[mawnansmiff]

John, I'm quite blutterbunged by your brabagiousness, you should be buckthwanged.
That there 'Champion Barb Wire' looks like it would betwattle the most determined wild steer ::
Regards,
Jay.

 

[wy2w]

Back in my youth I ran into some "Devil's Rope" on a snowmobile. Night riding is dangerous! The scars still look pretty nasty after all of these years.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I had a horse get spooked by a snake when I was a teen, and it threw me into a barbed wire fence. I still have the marks on my back. That was a sucky day.

 

[jpmcwjr]

OH, my, wy! But you've recovered! Thank heavens.
I've heard of stringing piano wire across a road to decapitate bikers (in war, enemies, not Angels) Still don't know if it's a legend or myth or what; It was over 50 years ago someone told me that.
Jay-
I am not gobsmacked by your observations. The Champion wire looks lethal, yet the ad department calls it "the least dangerous"! Interesting to note there were dozens upon dozens of styles, but the last one looks like the one that survived. Easier to make, no doubt. So populate your pipe with that, buster!