Natural cordage options during winter?

[Man of Tanith]

I know of brambles, withies, pine and oak roots.
any I've missed?

 

[Toddy]

Long whippy briar roses are brilliant. Rushes (the little green ones in tussocky grass, up to three feet long) withered iris leaves (see the basket I made) retted barks, from willow to lime, intestines, honeysuckle, and sometimes clematis and hops too.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[MartiniDave]

Don't forget spruce/pine roots Sam, split or otherwise.

Dave

 

[Strudel]

spruce root

 

[Man of Tanith]

Thanks folks.
Knew I had missed some

 

[ozzy1977]

Lengths of clematis and honeysuckle would work for low strength applications

 

[Mouse040]

For me I use inner bark from willow or lime but chestnut comes a close third boiled in a lye solution and then split then a standard twist weave does the trick

 

[dump of the stig]

willow bark (cadmium)

 

[lannyman8]

nettle is very good and when turned into cordage correctly is very very strong, you can use grasses too, well, any thing with long fibres really....

 

[Forest Wonderer]

Hibiscus bark makes very strong cordage.

 

[spandit]

How long does willow take to rett?

 

[Mesquite]

How long does willow take to rett?

You don't need to rett willow bark

Have a look at this thread about retting it.

All you need to do is soak it for a couple days to remove starch but you still need to scrape the outer bark off.

 

[spandit]

Tried making some cord today with the stuff I boiled but it wasn't very strong. What width strips should I use per strand?

 

[Toddy]

I'm really surprised. Willow bark twine is very strong indeed, and especially so when damp.

Ehm, usually I strip it down to 2 or 3mm thick and either make string or use multiple strands to make bootlace thick cordage.
If I want thicker I ply that up.
I wouldn't go more than 5mm for spun and laid, though that might just be me, iimmc. It plaits quite well too.

I strip it and soak it for a day or so....it kind of goes sweet, certainly tastes sweeter when you nip off the sticky out plys (yeah, my dentist gives me hell ), and I don't boil it.
I've got some here that I made ten years ago and it's still sound.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[ammo]

Nettles are really good, but lime bark is simple to do. It can be Don in any size pretty easily. You can make a tow rope strong enough to pull a landrover, out of grass.