"Prep for Carding Wool......"

Before I use my drum carder to card any wool, I prep it by running it through my "Wool Picker". A lethal looking device with ultra sharp nails that grab the wool and pull bunched up fibers apart. I run the wool through the picker 2-3 times before carding it. The "finished" picked wool is a cloud of air and fiber.

Pulling some unpicked wool from the washed fleece to place in the left end of the picker.


This shows some of the sharp nails which are along the bottom of the picker. There are also sharp nails in the sliding top section of the picker, as well.


The fiber is placed inside the left side of the picker.


The fiber is then dragged through the upper and lower nails with the motion of sliding the top section of the picker, left to right and back again, a continuing movement that is repeated until the fiber exits past the nails to the right end of the picker box.


The fiber is caught underneath the slider amongst the upper and lower nails.


An action photo...... ;)


The fiber finally (after going through the picker several times) comes out of the picker for the last time and is ready to go on the drum carder.


I mentioned to Don that I could make myself a Santa beard......so how could I resist posing for this photo? Tis "almost" the season! ;)