Know Your Barbed Wire

Often, in tramping about the Western States, the intrepid naturalist may find themselves waylaid by the manufacture of man. Rather than merely an occasion for pain and anger, this encounter can also be a learning experience.

Most people can guess slickwire from barbed, but how many know the entire taxonomy of man made dolorimeters?Here is my rough key to this vexing subject:

a.Single Strand....b
b.Slick Wire [not depicted]
bb. Glidden's Twist
aa. Double or more strands
b.Ribbon Strand...Untorn Ribbon
bb. Double Strand...c
c. Barb is of similar wire, usually twisted around strand...d
d. Barb is twisted around both strands...e
e. Barb is three pointed...Burnell Hook Around
ee.Barb is one or two pointed...f
f. One pointed...Preston's Horse Wire
ff. Two pointed...g
g. Barb wrapped around both strands together....Brotherton's Barb
gg. or Barb wrapped around both strands one at a time...Decker Spread
dd. Barb is twisted around a single strand....e
e. Barb is four pointed... Shinney's "4" Point
ee. Barb is two pointed, common...Baker's Flat Barb
cc. Barb is otherwise, not same wire as strand
d. Barb is metal plate...Stubbe Plate [rare]
dd. Barb is small plate or flat nail....e
e. Barb is twisted around strand...Scutte's Plate
e. Barb is tied to strand...Kelly Diamond Barb