Greasehorn

The greasehorn is a small container, traditionally a hollowed cow's horn, filled with a mixture of tallow (rendered animal fat) and horsehair, used by basket makers as a lubricant. Before working an awl-like tool called a bodkin into tight willow work, such as inserting a stake into a basket's base or fitting a bow for a handle, the maker presses the bodkin's tip into the greasehorn so it picks up a light coating of tallow. This small amount of grease lets the tool slide past the willow rods far more easily than it would dry, making it easier to open the weave without splitting or damaging the material.