BARBED WIRE RIBBONS

Sheet metal was used extensively in the design and manufacture of early barbed wire. Prior to the development of the Bessemer Process for making steel the manufacture of drawn wire was a slow process and limited amounts of drawn wire were available. Sheet metal was more plentiful and probably less expensive. It also had the added benefit of making the early wire more visible to animals and humans that were not accustomed to being fenced in. Many patents were issued for wire with rotating barbs designed to minimize the damage to livestock.