>Metal needles as trade items would be pretty common I imagine.
>They'd be relatively inexpensive and would last quite a long time.
>Even in metal poor regions you might find metal trade needles to be
>much more common than knives or the like. You can make one heck of a
>lot of needles out of someone's cast-off greave or the like.
AIUI metal needles were not inexpensive prior to the industrial revolution. They don't contain a lot of metal but do reflect a lot of work by a skilled craftsman. Indeed while your average clan redsmith will be able to make an adequate knife or spearhead he probably can't make a useful needle. The average hunter could make a needle out of bone simply because bone is much easier to smooth.
>The first step to cultural domination get people hooked on
>the "modern" conveniences. Has the advantage that it's hard to turn
>them against you.
True, but I think metal needles are a luxury item mostly made in the cities for the rich. In most clans a metal needle will be a treasure of Ernalda not something used by all and sundry.
Then again for tattooing tradition will play an important role so I would expect a wide variety of instruments because that's what has always been used.
-- Donald Oddy http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/
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