1. A comb-like tool with sharp, parallel wires or teeth used to separate and straighten fibers (such as flax or hemp) during textile preparation.
Usage: Also called a hackle; used in traditional fiber processing

1. To comb or separate (fibers such as flax or hemp) using a hatchel; to hackle.
Usage: Transitive verb; primarily historical or craft-related

Examples

• The spinner used a hatchel to prepare the flax fibers before spinning them into thread.
• She hatcheled the hemp to remove tangles and align the strands.
• The old hatchel hung on the wall of the textile workshop, its wires worn smooth by decades of use.
• To hatchel the fibers properly requires skill and patience.
• The linen maker's hatchel was an essential tool in the production process.