It's "Sinew" to Be/Find The "Tie" that Binds.

I would almost bet at some point you have been somewhere away from home and needed to tie or bundle something up. Whether a belt broke or your away from camp and want(ed) to tie up a bundle of sticks. What if you just needed a small amount of something such as yarn, string, or even twine to make a holiday card or to put a nice bow on a package? Now, imagine you're in a "SURVIVAL SITUATION". We all know to carry paracord and fishing line and to have it on hand. So, my question is, when it runs out or simply has just worn out its' usefulness what do you do then? You are living in a world of no local stores, the economy has tanked and you have "BUGGED OUT" to survive. Now something as simple as a belt is a very valued commodity. What will you use to string a bow, tie up a bundle of sticks, make a fishing line (and hook), and yes even make a belt to hold your pants up?!

Finding the right plant comes with knowledge. The knowledge of how to process fibrous plants has to be learned and practiced just as any other survival skill. Below are the top fibrous plants, stems, canes and bark to process into cordage as well as some basic information and terminology to get you started.

Need to know Terminology- The key to making cordage out of plant fibers is to soak them long enough to be able to separate them. This is a process known as “retting“. Basically, the water softens the fiber strand tissue by forcing the plant cells to swell up. They burst and start to break down, thus naturally separating the fibers. When it comes to retting, there’s a noticeable line between not soaking for long enough and soaking for too long. If you take the fibers out too early, they’ll still be tough and won’t separate easily. In contrast, you’ll know that they’ve soaked for too long if they fall apart into a goopy mess on your hands. After being retted, many fibers are then scutched and hatchelled (pulled apart from other impurities and combed through) so they can be processed further. Fibers such as cotton and flax can then be spun into very fine threads, while sturdier fibers can be twisted and braided into ropes as is. The plants listed below all have long, fibrous leaves that are excellent for making cordage. That said, some of them are tougher and sturdier than others. For example, daylilies and corn husks are great for making simple household twine, but you won’t be able to Lash, Frap, or Strap structures or frames together with it. In contrast, agave and yucca fibers are much sturdier and are better for making heavier ropes and twines.

The Best Plants, Plant Parts and Bark for Making Cordage (if available):

Cattails - known as “nature’s supermarket” because they’re fully edible. You’ll be delighted to find out their leaves also happen to be ideal for cordage. The fibers in fresh new leaves aren’t going to be as thick or sturdy as older ones. Therefore, try to harvest mature, slightly dry leaves towards the end of the growing season.

Palm Leaves - Although Palm Trees' have many different varieties, Palm leaves are gloriously fibrous and make a moderately strong cord. As such, if you live in a warmer climate where palm trees thrive, you have excellent cordage material within reach, especially if you have a ladder handy. If you’re aiming to make particularly sturdy cordage, you can twist or weave several strands of palm cord together into a thicker, stronger rope.

Daylilies - By far my favorite are the orange variety for a foraged edible. That’s right! The ornamental daylilies are deliciously edible and happen to make decent cordage as well. In the springtime, harvest semi-decomposed daylily leaves from the bottom of the plant. They will have retted (soaked) all winter under the snow or rainfall, as a result, you don’t have to soak them further you can just separate the fibers and process them into cordage.

Yucca Plant - Much like with daylilies, year-old yucca leaves harvested near the plant’s base tend to already be retted from winter’s moisture rich weather. If they aren’t and are instead quite dry and brittle, you can slough off the lighter leaf matter after a brief soak in warm water. In Native American culture leaves were soaked in water, then pounded with stones to separate the long fibers. Sometimes human or animal hair or even bird plumage were added to the strands, which were twisted into string or ropes. These were used for belts, rope ladders, fishnets and sandals. The fibers were also used for mats and clothing and were incorporated into baskets. The leaves were also utilized as paintbrushes by the Southwest Indians.

Sisal Agave - Much like the yucca, sisal agave leaves are quite fibrous and have been used to make rope and twine for thousands of years. In fact, the Inca and Mayan peoples used it extensively not just for making cordage, but also wove it into cloth for garments, hats, footwear, home furnishings, and paper.

Grapevines - Grapevine cordage can only be made when the vines are very young and pliant. Gather them in early spring, and either twist or braid them into rope. Determine the thickness you need for particular projects and go from there. Use fresh, damp grapevines to lash structures like trellises together or to secure woven baskets. Once it dries, it’ll be incredibly strong and difficult to break.

Flax - Flax has been used to make cordage and fabric for thousands of years. The fibers made from flax stems are up to three times sturdier than cotton and are ideal for twisting and plaiting into rope. They just need to be retted, dried, scutched and hatchelled before they can be twisted or woven into cord.

Hops - Hops plants are related to hemp and their bines (actual term) can be processed the same way as flax. You can either harvest young bines at the beginning of the season or mature ones in the autumn. Young bines will be more delicate, while the mature ones will offer up hardier fibers.

Honeysuckle - Treat honeysuckle vines the same way you would use grapevines. Choose them once they’re about a year old, but less than three years old. Most generally if you harvest them too young, they’ll just fall apart on you. In contrast, mature ones will either snap in your hands or be too stiff for use. Whenever you're using honeysuckle vine, you'll want to boil it for 3 reasons, pliability, bugs and bark. Boiling makes the vines much more pliable and easier to use when weaving. Also, any bugs that are on the vines or in them for that matter will be nixed when you boil the vines. Lastly, boiling the vines will loosen up the bark so you can remove it from the vines. You'll want to boil honeysuckle vines for about 20-30 minutes or so - until they are rubbery and flexible. Honeysuckle has a real papery outer bark that comes off pretty easily. It also has another layer of bark that's usually pretty tightly attached to the vine. Get that completely off too. It can be a pain, but once you get a clean vine, it will turn a beautiful ivory white. With small vines, you can literally put on some "gripper gloves", pinch the vine and pull the bark right off. With larger vines, I recommend you go all the way down the vine twisting the wet bark on the vine. Then, once it's totally loosened up - peel it off. If you're a papermaker, this bark is fabulous for natural fiber paper making. You can also use the long strands of honeysuckle bark for twining or making cordage.

Rush - Many people use rushes for roof thatching and basket weaving, but the stalks are also decent for making cordage. Much like with many other species listed here, you can create stronger ropes by weaving or twisting multiple lengths of single cord together.

Jute - Jute is native to tropical and subtropical regions in Southeast Asia and parts of Africa. It can be processed into a moderately strong cord, though it’s best to twist or plait multiple ropes of it for extra strength and durability. Jute cord is better suited to coiling or weaving into baskets than for dragging and pulling anything heavy. Jute fibers can be bundled into a birds nest and used as part of a tinder bundle as well.

Bull Thistle - Many types of thistle can be used to make cordage, but bull thistle is exceptionally handy. Whichever species you use, you’ll need to cut the stem at the base and remove the head. Then, pull the stringy fibers by hand and let them dry.

Elm - If you have an elm tree, then you have a good source to make fiber. Harvest 1/4 - 1/2 inch diameter branches between late spring and mid-summer. Then strip off all the leaves and twigs before pulling the bark off. Use a sharp knife to cut notches at one end and pull said bark away in long strips. Then ret and hatchel it.

Cedar - Lots of people don’t realize that many trees we call cedars in North America aren’t true cedars (they’re in the Pinaceae or pine family), which are plants in the Cedrus genus. In North America, you’ll see the Deodar cedar and Cedar of Lebanon growing as ornamentals. Harvest two-inch diameter branches in springtime or summer and follow the same steps as you would for elm. The difference here is that you’re using the inner bark, rather than the outer ones. You can use the unprocessed fibers for quick binding purposes, but you’ll need to soak and process them to refine them into cordage.

Basswood - Basswood is native to the eastern half of the US. Harvest bark from dead, fallen, 1/4-inch diameter basswood branches rather than live ones. The bark will come off in long, slender fibers that are ready to use as they are. Then simply twist and ply them as desired, making cordage in whatever gauge is needed.

Willow - The inner bark from willow branches are absolutely ideal for cordage. Harvest branches in springtime or summer and scrape off the dark outer bark with a sharp knife. Then ret and hatchel it before twisting, plying, or braiding into rope. While you’re at it, save some of those precious willow twigs to make homemade aspirin. You’ll need it after harvesting and processing for any length of time.

Please note - The above plants are easily to semi easily processed for making cordage. You will find the next few plants, stems and canes are either toxic or could cause harm to oneself in processing. With the abundance of cordage choices available why put yourself in harm's way? Should you choose to process any of the cordage types below please use caution and proper protective measures to ensure personal safety.

Cotton - Cotton doesn’t fall under the aforementioned headings because the fibers made from it are spun from its bolls. These are the fibrous casings that protect the plants’ seeds. Long fibers are separated from the bolls and are then twisted (spun) into strings or threads. These can then either be woven into fabrics, braided and/or twisted into ropes.

Hemp - If you’ve ever grown cannabis for medicine, you know how fibrous hemp’s stems are. They can be processed the same way as flax, and then twisted and plied to make a very sturdy, long-lasting rope. Set aside the shorter fibers that aren’t ideal for making cordage and try weaving them into cloth for various household uses.

Stinging Nettle - Although this plant is edible and has medicinal and health benefits - handle with caution unpleasant rashes can occur. Stinging nettle doesn’t just provide nutritious food and vital medicine: it’s also spectacular for making cordage. These plants’ bast fibers are very sturdy and can be processed like flax to make a durable thread. It’s stronger than linen when spun and woven into cloth and both stronger and longer lasting than cotton when twisted into ropes.

Milkweed - Milkweed stems can also be processed like hemp or flax. They yield a beautiful fiber that can be spun into thin, silken threads or yarn. It’s ideal for making soft fabric but can also be woven into a fairly sturdy cord. You have to be careful when harvesting milkweed as its sap can be quite toxic. Many people break out in severe contact dermatitis rashes from contact with it. Wear protective clothing such as long sleeves, gloves, and goggles whenever handling it.

Blackberries - If you’ve ever tried to get rid of a blackberry bush you likely remember its fibrous stem. Harvest for cordage in late springtime or early summer, after the vines have grown large but before they start to flower. Put on some thick leather gloves and remove the leaves and thorns with a sharp knife. Then, cut the vine low to the root so you get as much fiber as you can. Strip the outer bark off, then ret and hatchel it into usable fibers.

Dogbane - Dogbane’s strong fibers were treasured by indigenous North American peoples for thousands of years. The fibers make a particularly strong cord when twisted or woven and won’t stretch even when wet. You can either harvest dogbane stalks in springtime while they’re still green and pliant or in late fall after one or two frosts. Then ret and hatchel them accordingly. Dogbane is also considered “toxic” and is listed as a poisonous plant similar to oleander. Should you choose to harvest it, please wear protective gear and wash your hands thoroughly after working with it.

Sinew - Hope you didn't think I forgot! Cordage is invaluable in a survival situation. A simple piece of rope can construct a shelter or trap a meal. While many natural resources can be transformed into cordage, few have the raw strength of sinew. Like it or not, cordage is one of those survival resources that are always running thin. Yes, plant fibers can sometimes do the job, though many fibrous species aren’t very strong. Certain animal parts can also fill the need. Lacings cut from a deer hide and even strips of dried intestine can be used as string or twine in a pinch, but the highest strength in animal fibers will come from the creature’s very sinews and tendons. The easiest sinews to collect are lower leg tendons and the “silver skin” on the backstrap of big game animals (or harvested livestock). These strong whitish-grey tissues can be cut free with a sharp blade and set aside for further processing. After cutting a sinew free, peel off or scrape away any meat that can be removed. You’ll need to dry them for a few days to move to the next step (pounding). This drying can be sped up by slicing the sinews lengthwise (with a very sharp blade). This will allow the fibers to lose water more quickly. You can also place the pieces in a dry, sunny spot for faster results. Just keep in mind that scavengers can steal your hard work if left unattended! Test for dryness by pounding. If the fibers separate and peel free, it’s dry enough to move forward. With a hammer or a rounded river cobble, you can unlock the strength and flexibility of sinew by pounding it with a hard, smooth object. This object shouldn’t have a gritty texture or any rough edges, as they will cut into the fibers. The goal of pounding with a hammer or round stone is to simply separate the fibers into strands. Once pounded and peeled apart, they look something like dental floss. These fibers can be woven into thick, flexible cordage or used as individual threads for small tasks and finer work. Sinews are incredibly strong when conditions are dry. In fact, many people report a tensile strength similar to a steel cable of the same diameter. The substance that weakens sinew is water. This prevents us from using sinew as any form of fishing tackle. It also means that our archery string will need to be kept dry. Sinew could make a powerful bowstring for dry weather hunting.

In closing, I hope this information helps and the readers find it useful. I look forward to feedback and comments. Until next time -

"STRUGGLE TO MAKE PUDDING"