Bramble cordage

[Fenlander]

Since the beginning of this year I've been experimenting with the collection of Bramble stems to make cordage. Up to now, my experience has been that it just breaks off in small piece but over the past few days it has been pulling of in nice long strips.

The bramble is now starting to flower and this may be linked to the reason for the improvement in stem quality.

Once a length of stem has been removed the outer stem should be removed. This takes with it any thorns or side-shoots leaving nice strong, lengths of inner stem for cordage making.

 

[Matt Weir]

Thanks for the tip. I can tie up my broad beans now

 

[spamel]

I just had a go at using a long bramble to make one of those rabbit pullers used to get a rabbitout of a hole or burrow. Not something I'd use unless my life depended on it as there doesn't seem to be much sport in it. I tried it out in some grass and it gripped the grass good and proper, so i can assume it would work well on a fur covered animal. Didn't see this post before otherwise I would have tried to make cordage from it instead of chopping it into sections and putting it in the compost bin!

 

[Fallow Way]

like with anything from nature, there is a time of year for it and a way of handling it.

I have been making besom brooms and other odds and sods for many years with it and find it fantastic for the role.