The friar of time

Would you like to know what the weather will be like but you don't have much money? If so, I recommend you get a hygrometer called »The friar of time». This curious time meter has more than a century of history, but it is still as popular as then.

Of course, although it is not as accurate as a digital hygrometer, the truth is that it can serve as an orientation. An orientation that surprises almost exact that is. Find out.

Who Invented The Friar of Time and How Did You Come Up with the Idea?

This hygrometer was created by Agapito Borrás Pedemonte, from Calella (Catalonia, Spain), who was the founder of the Tot Ideas toy store in 1894. Why did he create it? Well, we have the answer to that question and we see it ourselves in our hair. Turns out that has the ability to contract and expand depending on the ambient humidity. So he thought that using hair he could create an instrument that would measure the humidity of the air, which would be used to predict the weather the next day.

To date, some 40 different models have been made, and in some of them, you do not see the Franciscan on the chair, but rather nuns, medieval warriors and even Christopher Columbus. In any »Friar of the time» you will see someone sitting, resting their left arm on a table where there is an open book and under which there is a world globe. In his left hand he holds a wand, which is the one that will tell you if the time will be »dry»,»scrambled», Yes it will»wind»,»good»,»unsafe»,»windy»,»damp»Or if it will»rain».

How Does It Work?

What will the weather be like tomorrow?

The Friar will tell you.
Your wand attentively
every day you will observe.
If he goes to the top,
dry weather you will find.
If it goes down,
you will have rain for sure.
And take a good look at his hood,
don't get wet.

Making this instrument work in very simple, but it has nothing to envy to modern ones. In fact, it is one of the most recommended for beginners, or for those who like meteorological relics. In addition, as we said before, it is very economical, being able to cost about 20 Euros.

This hygrometer, which is made of cardboard, uses the tension of a hair attached to an elastic band to measure moisture; thus, as the length of the hair varies in humid or dry environments, the friar will lower or raise his arm, and will remove or put on the hood. Not just any hair will do, but to be as accurate as possible it has to come from young, blonde women of Slavic origin, who are more sensitive to humidity and can therefore predict the weather better. Although sometimes horse hair is also used.

To get it ready, that is, to put it in season, it will be enough that we go outside on a sunny day and that the wind does not blow, Let's put the arm on »Good» and remove the hood if he's wearing it, twirling the wands behind him.

Where should it be kept and what is its maintenance?

So that our friar does not go crazy and can do his job properly, it is necessary find a place away from the humidity of some rooms in the home, like the one in the kitchen or the bathroom. The ideal would be to have it, for example, outside but at the entrance, protected from the rain, because being made of cardboard if it gets wet it already spoils.

Another option is to calibrate it on a day when the sky is totally clear, outside, then have it in the living room or in another room where the humidity is not high, and take it out again every time you want to know what the weather is going to do tomorrow.

And of course, you have to change your hair every so often, since over time it dries up and wilts, especially during the summer because, yes, humans also go through the "shedding season", a time when our hair grows faster ... and in which we lose it faster also due to being outside for more time, under the sun's rays, which are more intense than in any other season, and we "burn" them if we don't wear a hat or if we don't protect it in some way.

But let's go back to the Friar of time. How often do you have to change your hair? It depends on the season of the year, but generally, once a week, or when it is seen that it begins to fail a lot, putting its wand in, for example, "Rain" when in fact it is a splendid day, without clouds.

It is also highly recommended compare two of these hygrometers, at least for a few days, to see if they work well and, if not, which one needs new hair.

Have you ever heard of "The Friar of Time"? Do you dare to have one?