Carbide rivets

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Carbide rivets
Carbidschieten on New Years Eve 2017
Carbide riveting in Kampen

Carbidschieten (Netherlands), carbuurschieten (Belgium), melkbusschieten , losschieten (Brabant) or pulleschieten is a tradition in some northern, southern and eastern regions of the Netherlands (especially Friesland, Groningen, Overijssel, Gelderland) as well as in East Frisia . The custom of "Karbidschießens" is usually around the turn of committed, but in the south it also comes on the evening of banns before. The tradition also exists in Belgium , including weddings , and occasionally in Germany.

Carbide peeling involves popping a metal vessel with acetylene made from calcium carbide and water . Dealing with it is not without risk and is now strictly regulated by the municipalities. For some Dutch people, carbide shedding is an alternative to the New Year's fireworks .

Technical

Calcium carbide is placed in a milk can , paint barrel or an adapted gas bottle and made somewhat wet, for example with spit or water . Then the jug or barrel is closed with its lid or with a plastic ball. It forms ethyne , which has a small touch-hole (or a spark plug is ignited). It explodes with a roaring bang , causing the lid or ball to shoot out of the bin and hit dozens of meters away. Even bigger hits are sometimes created by using larger material, for example converted slurry tanks .

The difficulty with carbide peening lies in using the right mixture of carbide and water and identifying the right moment to light it up. In some villages dozens of tons are fired at the same time. The shooting must be well instructed so that the barrels pop evenly one behind the other. This form of organized carbide shaving is often in the hands of a sports club or a separate carbide or New Year's Eve association.

Emerge

Little is known of the history of carbide peeling. The tradition of making noise can possibly be traced back to the Germanic July celebrations . In the 19th century there was a custom, both in rural areas and in towns, to make noise on special days. Small cannons were fired in cities at the beginning of the 19th century until this was banned. In the flat country, the tradition of shooting continued when the line-up. Carbide riveting is probably the result of this. Carbide became available at the end of the 19th century.

Before the Second World War , carbide was also used in carbide lamps for bicycle lighting . Before bottles of acetylene gas became available, most village blacksmiths used carbide for brazing. So it was expensive but available. Milk cans were also abundant in the flat country from the end of the 19th century. Shooting with milk cans became popular during the 20th century.

Growing popularity

An apparatus from Biesbosch ( Noord-Brabant ) for carbide riveting. The aim was to drive birds from the fields.

Carbidschieten with milk cans became more and more a social event in the second half of the 20th century, which took place not only on farms, but also on village squares and sports fields. Competitions, events and championships have also been organized. The aim was to shoot the lid of the jug as far away as possible. In the 1980s it was decided to replace the lid with a ball because it was safer.

In 2014, carbide raking was put on the list of the Netherlands' National Intangible Cultural Property , as the fifth custom.

Risks and Rules

Young people in Harskamp, Gelderland , 2014. Next to a New Year's Eve fire, two milk cans with balls can be seen on the left.

Carbide riveting can be dangerous, especially if you have a lack of expertise:

  • If the gas mixture is ignited too early, there is a risk of a jet flame .
  • If there is a bang, there is a recoil, so it is advisable to set up or secure the jug in a stable manner.
  • The jug must not z. B. consist of aluminum. It should also show no damage from rust or dents. An aluminum can in particular is too weak to withstand an explosion ; it will likely be blown up as a whole.
  • To make the bang as loud as possible, one often hits the lid or ball into the opening with a hammer. If it's too tight, the explosion can tear apart a steel can .
  • With a large barrel, the bang is often deafening. It is therefore recommended to wear hearing protection when carbide cutting .
  • It is difficult to predict how far and where the lid will be thrown. To prevent damage from flying off the lid, the lid is usually attached with a long rope.

In 2014 a new Fireworks Act came into force. According to the law, fireworks were only allowed to be fired at the turn of the year from six in the evening to two in the morning. Carbide shedding subsequently became more popular because it was not covered by the law. In the Corona crisis of 2020 , the government banned fireworks (with the exception of table fireworks or joke articles), but not carbide scuffing.

However, individual municipalities can prohibit or regulate carbide sliding through the algemene plaatselijke verordening . In December 2020, most municipalities in the province of Noord-Holland banned it. They feared dangers from the shooting and noise pollution for local residents. In the west of the Netherlands in particular, there are fears that carbide riveting is seen as a substitute for fireworks and carried out by people who have no experience with it. Carbide shedding is not an old custom in the West.

The municipalities in which carbide raking is allowed introduced strict rules in November and December 2020. For example, a prospect must register the event with the municipality before a deadline. Furthermore, the person performing the work has to be sober. If the performer is still young, an adult, sober companion must be present. Shooting may only take place at a certain distance from houses and places where animals can be found. It also regulates how many people are allowed to attend the event or how big the milk jug can be. You can only bang in a certain time frame, around 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on December 31st. This is also the traditional time. They want to prevent shooting at midnight as a substitute for the fireworks.

supporting documents

  1. ↑ Kwanselbier en losschieten - Brabants Erfgoed.
  2. ↑ Mevr. JE Castelijns: 'Volksgebruiken in Casteren', in 'Drie dorpen een gemeente', 1987, book by occasion van het 800-year bestaan ​​van de gemeente Hoogeloon, Hapert en Casteren. Geciteerd by Kees Jansen in: Losschieten
  3. ↑ Dagblad van het Noorden: Carbidschieten: waar komt dat eigenlijk vandaan? En hoe zorg ik voor zo'n nimble knal? , 2017-12-29.
  4. ↑ Carbidschieten: een korte geschiedenis. December 29, 2018, accessed December 31, 2020 (Dutch).
  5. ↑ JL de Jager, 1981, Volksgebruiken in Nederland, Het Spectrum
  6. ↑ HW Lintsen, 1992, Geschiedenis van de techniek in Nederland. De wording van een modern seed evolving 1800-1890 . Deel I Techniek en modernizing. Landbouw en voeding .
  7. ^ Carbidschieten in Drenthe. Retrieved December 31, 2020 (Dutch).
  8. ↑ Carbidschieten op nationale erfgoedlijst , NU.nl June 27, 2014 ( ANP report)
  9. ^ Carbidschieten in Drenthe. Retrieved December 31, 2020 (Dutch).
  10. ↑ Rijksoverheid site, accessed on December 22, 2020.
  11. ↑ Elise Spetter: Carbidschieten in (bijna) heel Noord-Holland verboden , in: nhnieuws.nl, December 5, 2020, accessed on December 22, 2020.
  12. ^ Eerste gemeenten verbieden Carbidschieten, in: nos.nl, November 21, 2020, accessed on December 22, 2020.
  13. ↑ See Strenge rules voor carbidschieten in de Achterhoek: beperkt knallen en obligatory report in: gelderlander.nl, 5th December 2020. See for examples Gemeente Bronckhorst , Gemeente Oude IJsselstreek . Accessed on December 22, 2020.