Foraging to Make Natures Rope or Cordage...Neetle Cordage...Bushcraft Skills
I am in the midst of planning a 4 day trek into the deep bushes of Algonquin Park on a Survival adventure of sorts this summer. This is on my Bucket list. To survive 4 days in the bush with no outside technology or help. So I have been teaching myself all kinds of skills, that I will need to survive. One of the skills that I plan on practicing once the Spring comes is how to make cordage from several different sources of foraged materials. This post is dedicated to making cordage in the bush.
It seems in all my research that the Nettle plant it the best and most durable source of foraged material to fix a rope. Some call it natures rope. First I had to consider what I wanted to use the cordage for. So fixing a shelter, with some logs, possibly some fishing, and setting traps. However I also must consider what if I would not be able to find a Nettle plant, then what would be good strong alternate sources of foraged materials.
Some of the better alternatives might be the following: Milkweed the fibers inside the stalk,
Dogbane the fibers inside the stalk,
Yucca the fibers inside the leaves, Agave the fibers inside leaves, Basswood the inner bark, and Western red cedar the inner bark. All of the rest of these are not easily found in my area of the country.
You can use the same principal idea of how to make the cordage from all the different plants that I have suggested. But for this demonstration I will be using the Nettle Plant. It is suggested to make it easier to wait until the end of summer and the plant has gone to seed to harvest the plant for cordage, but that is not always going to be an option, so we take the plant and hang it to dry for a few hours once we have picked it.
Then we pull off all the leaves and such, and break open the stem. You can bash it with a rock or strip it with a knife.
The strips you will want to hang should look like this. Just drape them over a tree branch preferably in the sun, to dry them out.
Once dried then you can rip smaller strips and twist them for fishing line, or braid larger strips for more durable.
And even looks like rope, with even thicker strips. I have attached in the image sources 2 excellent website that give you a more detailed breakdown of the entire process. I encourage you to get out there and try making your own cordage this summer, cause you just never know when you will need it.
Happy "Cordage Foraging" Trails Folks
Here is an excellent Discord Channel to join if you are into Bushcraft, or Prepping.
https://discord.gg/255Td3q
Image Source:
http://www.naturessecretlarder.co.uk/bushcraft-tutorials/nettle-corgage-tutorial_1.htm
http://www.flowersociety.org/Milkweed-Plant-Study.htm
http://garden.lovetoknow.com/dogbane-plants
https://www.wildernesscollege.com/cordage.html
Very strong ropes made from hemp
Yes I agree, but would be hard to find in the bush. Thanks
I knew about the agave but the nettle, yucca and dogbane were all new to me. I learned about the agave while I was visiting in AZ.
Yes they are good alternatives, sadly not found in Canada, Thanks
Thanku for ur comments and resteem... I would love to get more from... Please let me know which contests should i follow n what ahud i do ... Following ur posts tho
You should use the discord community to help you engage with folks on steemit.
Cool.. Thanku.... Plz do follow my posts...
First of all, your plan to survive for 4 days in Algonquin park is badass. I cannot wait for you to be able to cross that off your list <3
Secondly....woah! I had no idea nettle was that strong! It is everywhere here and I have just worked up the courage to eat it...now I need to try making cordage out of it!! One more reason Spring needs to hurry up:)
Agreed, ya I am pretty excited to give an adventure in the bush a go. I have wanted to do it for so long, and I strongly feel that I can fish, set traps and survive, a few days with very little,. I am making a list of what I can take and toilet paper is right up there as a maybe. LOL some things are just not replaceable.
I agree with the toilet paper haha ;)
Nettle is a fantastic fiber plant. It is one that I've wanted to try spinning for a while now. I just don't have an easy to access local source. Dogbane is a new one to me. I wonder how it would perform as a spinning fiber.
Not too sure as we don't have it readily handy. I am excited to give it a try with the Nettles.
WOW! How exciting! I am looking forward to not only the new skills you're learning, but how you implement them on this four day hike/survival.
I have wanted to do this for so long now, and the fact that I live surrounded by miles and miles and miles of bush, I wanted to know that I could run for the hills one day and make it. I have (I think) finally learned so many useful skills to survive that I want to give it a try, many thanks for your support, would you like to join me on my hike for 4 days....No toilet paper allowed. LOL
wow this is really the coolest craft post. :)
I bookmarked this post so I can reference it in the future. This is a valuable skill to have.
Yes it is cause you never know when you will need it.
This is intriging. I've never seen anything like this before. Thanks for sharing and for using http://steemthat.com!
Thank you for the support. Steemit, truly does have a way of opening our eyes.
We've got so much (stinging) nettle @gardengirlcanada that I often wonder how to use some of it or how to make something with it... I have watched videos of the process but it's lengthy... perhaps this year though... you're inspiring.
Thank you