Cordage!

[your_comforting_company]

Do you have mimosa trees around? also called silktree I think. The bark strips off and is full of fine threads. My son and I made some rope from some of those. Not exceedingly strong, but would make a decent binding. I'm not familiar with the flora in your area, but I'm sure there's something that will work.. you just gotta find it

[Ken]

Counselor, I point you to my statement wherein I did in point of fact say,"generally" no where in my statement did I say always. never or any absolute.

It's ALWAYS a line TO ME! Absolutely! Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

[justin_baker]

Do you have mimosa trees around? also called silktree I think. The bark strips off and is full of fine threads. My son and I made some rope from some of those. Not exceedingly strong, but would make a decent binding. I'm not familiar with the flora in your area, but I'm sure there's something that will work.. you just gotta find it

Nah, i dont. I think im going to start digging around for roots and see if i dont find anything.

[rwc1969]

There's no milkweed or dogbane in your area?

[justin_baker]

There's no milkweed or dogbane in your area?

No, but now that spring has come there are lots of plants that have similar structures to those plants, i will try those out.

[justin_baker]

Hey guys, today i tried thistle, and it works pretty good! Its pretty much like any stalky plant with the fibers on the outside and the pith in the middle. Its really tough though, kind of hard to split into small strands and very difficult to peel off the stalk. (I tend to use larger stands rather than individual fibers because its a faster process.) I made some of the strands a little too big though and when i twisted it, the strand kind of cracked and split. I ended up with a couple of weak spots.
That being said, its a little hard to work with but really strong. Id rather use stinging nettles, but if you have fields full of thistles around like i do, its a great and abundant fiber.

[your_comforting_company]

Thanks Justin. I've read about using them for cordage, but haven't gotten around to trying it. This time of year the thistles are all over the place here. Their quick growth pattern might make them a better source for cordage fibers than the valuable yucca plants.
Now you've got my curiosity stirred. I'm gonna have to try them soon, along with the evening primrose in the garden. It's getting pretty big too.

[rwc1969]

There may be some way to prepare them before removing the fibers that will allow for easier removal and use.

I found some old milkweed stalks that were extremely weathered, but the fibers and chaff just fell off. I was able to make some very thin and tough, clean cordage using them.

I now have 4 good sources of cordage mapped out. Yucca, dogbane, milkweed and stinging nettle. I also made some cordage from some old garlic mustard stalks. The fibers were weak and difficult to remove, but I feel if they are dried properly it may work for some halfway decent and extremely abundant cordage.

[crashdive123]

Although it doesn't look pretty, don't forget pine tree roots. They make an excellent, quick, field expedient cordage.

[justin_baker]

Although it doesn't look pretty, don't forget pine tree roots. They make an excellent, quick, field expedient cordage.

As well as fir, spruces, basically any coniferous tree right? Im sure there are also some non coniferous trees with cordage like roots as well.

[justin_baker]

Oh also, i have some flax in my yard that looks like this
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Its STRONG. I used just a small string of it and it held up a 30 pound pack.

[Rick]

I was wondering if anyone has used a rope loom?

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I read recently that if a natural fiber twine is soaked in soapy water before making it into a rope, a tighter rope can be made. The soap can also make the rope last longer. Has anyone tried this?

[crashdive123]

We used a homemade version when I was in the Boy Scouts.

[your_comforting_company]

Very interesting Rick. I'll have to give the soap trick a try on some non-yucca fibers and see what happens. (yucca is naturally soapy)

I'm glad work picked up, busy, busy, but now I don't have much time to play.. Working long hard hot days really saps my energy level, but hopefully I'll catch some free time over the weekend to try some stuff.. I'm getting antsy to make that deadfall trap and some more rope

[hunter63]

So, has anyone tried wild grape vines for cordage?
Seem to work well but have to use the intire vine, tried breaking down the fibers, not happening..........Have to use whole.

[rwc1969]

I tried using some this past winter to make a tripod but had no real luck. The whole thing might work well in a pinch, but it was pretty brittle

[justin_baker]

Heh you guys probably arent going to believe this but you can use wood as cordage. You need to separate the wood into extremely thin fibers(like individual grains) and twist them. It was extremely difficult and irrational, but i managed to do it. It was pretty strong.

[rwc1969]

That's the cool thing about cordage. Anything you can twist and will hold will work to some extent. Plastic shopping bags would probably make excellent cordage and around here they are easier to find while walking the woods and fields than dogbane.

BTW, I found a huge field of tall dogbane and it still seems viable for cordage after sitting all winter.

[hunter63]

I was wondering if anyone has used a rope loom?

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I read recently that if a natural fiber twine is soaked in soapy water before making it into a rope, a tighter rope can be made. The soap can also make the rope last longer. Has anyone tried this?

Here is a site that sorta explains it.

http://www.wctatel.net/web/equityrea...peMaking1.html

I worked in a plant the made wire rope (cable) everything from SS .015 fishing line to 6" dia drag line rope, for 30+ years so I know a little about bit about it.

Some of the equiptment is for sale again, it looks like:
http://eam.go-dove.com/catalogs/MFA-092602A.pdf

[Rick]

RWC - there was guy on here some time ago that talked about making thread out of plastic bags. So you probably could make rope with it.

Hunter - That's some great resources on rope. Thanks!