natural cordage question

[lannyman8]

im after doing the bow drill from scratch with natural cordage and antler/flint tools... but i want to do it all in one day with no pots for boiling ash and things, id like to do it in a matter of hours idealy.

my question is whats the best cordage for this and what would be strongest and take least amoint of time????

meany thanks...

chris.

 

[Toddy]

At this time of year, just use nettles
Fresh ones will work fine for a quick set up, best to ply the cord though if you 'really' go at it.

cheers,
M

 

[lannyman8]

ok thanks Mary will give it a go next weekend maybe...

 

[Toddy]

Josh is doing a tutorial on how to do nettle cordage to it's best advantage , but if you just need it *now*, it'll work almost any time of year.
Done fresh it'll dry out and loosen, but the fibres aren't lost; just undo them, dampen them a bit and do it again

The inner bark of the small leaved lime is the strongest natural cordage from the UK, but willow bast is awfully good and nettle, well it's really long, fine white fibres, and they spin like linen
Hemp is superb, but that's under the usual opprobium of idiots only thinking it's cannabis
Rushes make good rope too, so does elm bark, or spruce roots, honeysuckle was used in the past as well. Crocus leaves, old and dried, make good stuff too and believe it or not so does lobellia it's a member of the flax family.
Inca bridges across river gorges were made from plied up grass cordage.

It's an easy thing to practice, fun to try what's available in season

cheers,
M

 

[Pict]

Do you have dogbane in the UK? This is my favorite cordage material back in the US.

 

[Toddy]

It's not native to Western Europe. I don't think I've ever seen it tbh, not even in gardens.

Probably not something folks want to introduce, is it not poisonous ?

cheers,
Toddy

 

[johnboy]

Have a look down at the garden centre or ornamental gardens for some phorium tenax ( NZ flax or Harakeke)Cut the parent leaves not the child leaves. Then you can extract the muka and sort out some excellent natural cordage...Truly amazing stuff...

 

[Pict]

Dogbane seed pods. The downy fluff makes a great coal extender.


As the name suggests it isn't good for dogs. It has a very light airborne seed but apparently hasn't got there yet. Dogbane makes amazingly beautiful cordage. You harvest it in the late winter. It is very prolific covering just about any vacant lot or overgrown patch of ground. The raw fiber is very fine but strong and soft with a rich golden color. It even smells good to work with.



Dogbane cordage with unprocessed stalks

 

[Limaed]

It's not an easy thing to do Chris, my experience's so far are two hours making the cordage and about 10 seconds breaking it! That's not a excuse for giving up, but I think it's worth doing a bit of research into methods that cause the least abrasion to the cord. I think the Egyptian Bow Drill is supposed to work with poorer cordage although I've not tried it myself:

http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/fire/bowdrill/egyptian/index.html

Let us know how you get on anyway.

 

[jackcbr]

Hemp is superb, but that's under the usual opprobium of idiots only thinking it's cannabis

Funnily there's a lot of it being grown in Surrey at the moment as test/commercial crop. Must admit I had to take a second look when I went past it.

 

[lannyman8]

the problem is that all the cordage needs to be processed and dried in some way, if your going to do this in one day i dont think you would be able to do it all, make the crodage from the gathered material, strip it, dry it, and then twist it into cordgage, and thats before i even gather the wood for the bow drill, and i want to use flint tools...

this is all for my next challange which is to make fire with some flint and thats it, basicly make some cutting blades with the flint, gather some cordage material, make the cordage, then gather the wood and use the flint to make a bow drill set, and then make fire... this all has to be done in one day with all the materials coming from the wood appart from the flint...

do i know how to test myself or what...

the cordage would be fine if i had time to make it over 2 or 3 days to allow it to dry and be made tight, but the Egyptian style looks and sounds to make sence, the string would not have to be so tight too...

thanks people...

chris.

 

[Toddy]

Nettle will work fine for that Chris. I use it and it lasts long enough, even very green. Don't make it as fine as Josh shows on his tutorial, make it almost paracord thick.

If you have lime or willow on site and the bark will peel from small straight branches, that would do very well too.
Even fresh gut would work.

None of these are what you might 'choose' to use given time, but they'll work for a quick set up. I've even managed it with rushes before now, so it's not rocket science.


Jackcbr, a farmer got permission from the Home Office and grew a field full down in Ayrshire a couple of years ago. This was a variety specifically grown for fibre. It was still poached clean in the night


cheers,
Mary

 

[lannyman8]

awesome Mary, will try the green nettle at the weekend and see how it goes from there......

 

[Toddy]

It'll feel very 'juicy', not sticky, but wet. Just keep twisting and use at least three strands at a time. Better yet if you do make if fine and then ply it up

cheers,
M

 

[Stringmaker]

I recently tried the egyptian wrap method and was very impressed.

My guess would be that you could use weaker cordage as there seems to be much less direct tension on the piece that is doing the work. After all, on average (at least my previous sessions) it only needs to last for about 30-40 seconds?

 

[Seoras]

The Egyptian method works a treat with natural cordage.

Normally I just use it when teaching kids or group bow drill as the spindle does not pop out. The clove hitch and the wraps grip very well so there is minimal stretch on the rope.

I have used the Egyptian method with Lime, Nettle and Clematis cordage. Also with braided leather strips and Pig intestine. I want to try split Spruce roots (probably braided) next.

Good luck.

George

 

[Stringmaker]

The Egyptian method works a treat with natural cordage.

Normally I just use it when teaching kids or group bow drill as the spindle does not pop out. The clove hitch and the wraps grip very well so there is minimal stretch on the rope.

I have used the Egyptian method with Lime, Nettle and Clematis cordage. Also with braided leather strips and Pig intestine. I want to try split Spruce roots (probably braided) next.

Good luck.

George

Ah, that's interesting, you mention a clove hitch.

I didn't use one, I just did about four turns on the drill with paracord. Do you start with a clove hitch and then wrap?

I have access to loads of good tall nettles so I'll have a go at a natural cord bow drill over the weekend. I'm also thinking of trying freshly harvested Scots Pine root for the same method.

 

[Seoras]

You can get away without it but I find it helpful to attach the spindle to the cord (with a Clove Hitch) before wrapping it.

I find working with beginners that this is helpful as a guide for the wrap and it gives that extra bit of bite to the spindle without the tension.

Cheers

George

 

[dwardo]

Wych elm cordage is strong enough straight off the tree, very tough stuff.

 

[redneck]

Good man yerself, I would genuinely love to see somebody do this completely from scratch with no modern tools or accessories involved at all, go for it and I sincerely hope you succeed,, take pics and keep us all posted!