View Full Version : Natural Cordage
TheViking
19-09-2004, 11:08
What is your favourite natural cordage? Me favourite is the 'lianas' that grows on the bark of oak and beach! It's kinda difficult to get of, so I use a knife.
Very long lenghts can be collected this way! :wink: :pack:
mr dazzler
19-09-2004, 12:12
I just had a goe for the first time in my life with bark from willow sapilings. Tried riving the little limbs with some success to get the bark by peeling, but was better luck "skinning" the limb like when you skin an eel and ending up with an inch-ish wide strip. It was nice to try it out (small fire bow) supple takes a bowline or reef knot nicely. Got to try twisting it to make proper cord. Favorite so far (only one to go at) I'll try nettles as well (Is that what R mears used for the arrers in the 1st new programme? :?: cant remember)
my favorite is stinging nettle cordage... i get in such rythem when i am making it its like meditation
I'll try nettles as well (Is that what R mears used for the arrers in the 1st new programme? :?: cant remember)
Yes that's the what he used.
he used nettle fibers but they were in their "raw" state they had not been made in to cordage!
mr dazzler
19-09-2004, 15:23
does twisting together increase the strength?
Tantalus
19-09-2004, 15:41
does twisting together increase the strength?
should greatly increase the strength specially with shorter softer fibres
twisitng will force one fibre to grip the ones closest to it
try it with a lump of sheepswool pulled from a fence for a quick demonstration
i think with plant fibres it is important to soften the fibres so that they bend instead of break when they are twisted
soaking them in water before twisting will help
also leaving them soaking in water for 2 or 3 weeks helps rot the cells leaving mainly fibres
this is the way they used to make linen from flax plants
stinks when it comes out the water but hey linen tablecloths are nice
Tant
Paganwolf
19-09-2004, 18:11
i agree tomtom nettles rule, :super:
mr dazzler
19-09-2004, 20:08
do you wear gloves to harvest them?
Paganwolf
19-09-2004, 20:11
No! were rufty tufty bushcrafters! :rolmao: im immune to em now its a occupational hazard of ferreting, that and i quite like the feeling :shock:
mr dazzler
19-09-2004, 20:37
Do the fibres last a long time or is it a case of make what you require on the spot?
of course it depends on how well you make it and how you treat it...
if you allow the fibers to dry out over night or for 24 hours before you make them in to cordage then they sould last a good long while.
..oh yeh i forgot to mention it makes a difference depending on the time of year you harvest them.. earlier the better!
Paganwolf
19-09-2004, 21:58
left a day gives the fibers a waxy quality making them beautifully workable :wink:
I like nettle too, easy to work with and gather, and you get long lengths too. Not very rot resistant though. I have used willow as well and thats good. Tip save the scraped off outer bark and dry it, it makes a really good coal extender.
Paganwolf
20-10-2004, 11:43
my favorite is stinging nettle cordage... i get in such rythem when i am making it its like meditation
Im with you there Tomtom :wink:
Bushmaster
20-10-2004, 13:24
Hey there viking.:wave: One of my favourite natural cordage is Spruce roots.They are very strong and flexable and are great for lashing shelters together. All you need is a fairly stout stick and away you go.Begin by digging in the area around the base of the spruce tree and when you find the root,just follow it's path and you will be able to pull up a real good pice of lashing material.The root is about 4 or 5 mill wide but can be any length you may find.
Geoff
TheViking
20-10-2004, 14:42
Hey there viking.:wave: One of my favourite natural cordage is Spruce roots.They are very strong and flexable and are great for lashing shelters together. All you need is a fairly stout stick and away you go.Begin by digging in the area around the base of the spruce tree and when you find the root,just follow it's path and you will be able to pull up a real good pice of lashing material.The root is about 4 or 5 mill wide but can be any length you may find.
Geoff
I agree. They're really strong, and we have some spruce trees here, so it's really nice. :biggthump
Ranger Bob
20-10-2004, 18:25
I prefer wild clematis (called Travellers joy in my part of the world). You can gather long lenghts of it very quickly, use it in its raw state or lay it into cord. Its quite tough and make a reasonably strong rope as well. In january its even easier as the outer bark sheds naturally. If you try to look for it, i've noticed it tends to grow on alkaline soil.
I use nettles. :o): The cord is very strong but my only problen is joining in the new strands. I find the string looses strength at that point. :?: otherwise i cant break it!!
Bear Stone
21-10-2004, 13:54
Hi everyone,
What's happened to the hot tips section of the forum? I haven't been on for a while - has it been dis-continued?
Anyway, I have a hot tip for plant fibre cordage. Like a lot of you guys my favourite is nettle but find it wears quicky if not treated some how...
1. Have some prepared fibre to hand - no more than half a nettle stem (longways).
2. Make the fibres as loose as you can.
3. Holding both ends, put the fibres over your head against your hair (this works better if you haven't washed your hair for a couple of days).
4. Run the fibres back and forth through your hair. Do this for a minute or two SLOWLY, then turn the fibres over and do the other side.
5. To do the ends; draw them through your hair while holding them down in your hair with your free hand.
After doing this the fibres become soft, pliable, easier to twist and water resistant which greatly increases the strength ( by up to half in my tests) and life of the fibre; but the hair does have to be oily enough and you will want to wash it when your done!
I only discovered (re-discovered?) this a few weeks ago and haven't had time to do thorough testing. I don't really know if the hair oil rotts the fibres. So far, I don't believe it does...
Maybe archers keeping the bow string under their hats had a purpose.
Cheers,
Bear Stone
gurthang
30-11-2004, 17:18
I use nettles most of the time and find that does everything I have required of it. they are even strong enough for snares (rabbits anyway and you dont have to wory about catching badgers or foxes by mistake cause they just snap it off or chew through it) I've used spruce roots before as well but not clematis but theres loads of it here so I'll have to try soon.
Moonraker
30-11-2004, 20:05
I saw this page yesterday with photos guide to make elm cordage ( sadly most mature Elm have gone from the British countryside but suitable suckers can be found in their place in hedgerows)
www.primitiv.nu - Twisted Fibres (http://w1.417.telia.com/~u41703001/eng/fibrer.htm)
Check out the rest of the ( www.primitiv.nu and select English version) site for some nice stuff on primitive tools etc and dig the groovy music on the home page :wink: