How do they put rubber bands on lobster claws?
Many years ago, over forty in fact, I had the chance to go out on a lobster boat with someone my family knew.
He slipped them on by hand. Now bear in mind this was a small boat with a crew of two. Plus me, but I was just along for the ride.
No idea how it’s done today, or on bigger boats back then. I will add that all the boats in that port, Kennebunkport Maine, were about the same size.
They use a device that looks kind of like a pair of pliers. It stretches the band enough to slip easily over the claws. At least that’s how I’ve seen it done on midsize boats out of Beverly, Rockport and Gloucester MA, and Kennebunkport, ME.
And the lobster is complacent and isn’t moving it’s claws all around?
This board amazes me sometimes. Good job.
Well, when those lobsters get on here and try to post shit, I"ll ban their ass quick as a wink. Just you watch. I don’t need no tool.
:::what?:::::: Banding? ???
Nevermind.
Have you ever tried to ban an unbanded lobster? Good luck with that.
Aw, go on. I’m pretty pleased to actually know the answer to something.
Okay, how about this? A tool to apply a rubber band to sheep testicles. The band cuts off the circulation, resulting in castration.
Hey! My girlfriend is up in Maine right now, and this is her job. Not suprisingly it really hurts when they pinch, so, hooray LOBSTER BANDING TOOL NYLON 118241! Boo pinch.
The band results in “No Balls at All.”
All together now,
From the top,
No Balls at All, No Bal…
When I was (much) younger, I helped my grandfather on his small sheep farm in Conneticut. I had the dubious pleasure of castrating a ram. Those suckers can kick. At least until their eyes bulge out and they limp off to a corner of the pasture to wallow in pain and self pity.
Sheep have testicles?? :dubious: :dubious:
Hit submit to soon, meant to say only ewes.
::sings can make me feel this way:::
Well no, the lobster protests and resists mightily, but the lobstermen are much bigger than the lobsters. If you grab it at the base of the claw, you can squeeze the claw shut easily, then slip the band on with the tool. Takes about 3 seconds for an experienced lobsterman to do both claws.
If you get a chance, watch the Lobstermen series on Discovery Channel. They show exactly how it’s done.
If you’ve ever seen a good-sized (and intact) ram, there’s no mistaking them. Each one of those balls is about the size of a person’s head. They’re bigger than bull testicles. All I can figure is that it’s a case of runaway sexual selection.
Warning: the following describes an unpleasant-sounding medical procedure: Rubber bands are also used for hemorrhoidectomies.
If you are not interested in using the banding method for sheep, there are some scary looking tools for both castration and tail docking (see some examples here ).
The elastrator (the rubber band method) is commonly used these days for both castrations and docking on sheep. Although it takes longer (about two weeks) it tends to leave a cleaner wound, and is quicker to apply. When I was gowing up, my cousins lived on a farm in New Zealand, and I remember them complaining about the change. They much prefered the older methods, which left a good supply of lamb’s tails for a BBQ.