Binding for tent pole

[Humphrey of Heath]

I know I should know the answer to this...but I don't.

Because of a re-design of my tent awning I now need to drive a nail into the top of my wooden tent poles. Clearly this will split the wood but I am certain that there is some sort of organic material, that is authentic medieval, that I can soak in water to stretch it and then bind onto the poles, let them dry and shrink and then I can drive the nails in without the wood failing.

Am I talking nonsense? And if not what is it and where can I get it?

Thank you.

[medievalpirate]

My first thought would be leather, soaked first. Or maybe rawhide.

[Humphrey of Heath]

Rawhide! Thank you. Any idea the best place to buy it?

[Miel]

Put a couple of jubilee clips around the end of the pole. Blunt the end of the nail. Hammer it in. Take the jubilee clips off. Job done.

(blunting the end of the nail is a known trick to help stop wood splitting).

[BYDAND]

The easiest place find rawhide is a pet shop. Buy a couple of largish dog chews, soak them and unravel them. Then you can cut to shape and do with it as you wish. You may have to resoak.

James

[Humphrey of Heath]

Thanks James, I like this. It certainly appeals to my cheap nature.

[Edmund the Marshal]

You also could drill a pilot hole that will cut down the chance of the poles splitting.

[Mrs. Babyjuice]

We drilled a hole about half a size smaller than the diameter of the bolt we screwed into the top of the pole. Before screwing it in, we put some super-strong multi surface glue and left the screwed in bolt overnight so the glue could properly go off, then we cut the top off the bolt & filed it down to remove burrs and smooth it off. We used a steel bolt about 8-10mm diameter, 6-7" long with the thread about 2 1/2"- 3" and drilled the depth of the thread. Hey presto, one very secure spike in the end of the pole with no splitting of wood.

[Mark Griffin]

I'd buy decent rawhide from a supplier like tods stuff for this job, where longevity and strength is required. Doggy chew is rarely rawhide and rots very easily when damp and also softens a lot. Using proper rawhide will give better results for not much more money.