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From - Mon Dec 23 08:09:27 1996
From: merv martin
Subject: Re: Cordage
From Yucca Plants
Somebody asked:
I have some yucca plants in my backyard from which I understand some very good cordage can be made. Would I have to dry the leaves prior to attempting to separate the fibers?
Yucca fiber wadded up and dried is a _great_ wash
cloth too! I bought one at an Indian village in Mexico (close to Tamilpas) and
wish I'd bought a case!
Try it both ways, drying first and not. As I
remember the leaves are pounded on a metate, (Read as pounded just enough to
crush the leaf and separate the fibers, no jackhammers allowed!) Then the fibers
are separated and dried. Of course they are hung on previously dried yucca
fibers
Now, save the sap for soap and shampoo (high
saponin content), and if it starts to ferment, well save that too, for medicinal
purposes only...of course!
The point at the end of the leaf can be bent and
pulled 'till it separates from the leaf except for a fiber that'll stay with it.
Pull this fiber carefully back to the base of the leaf and you'll have a pretty
good needle and a foot or two of thread. Saw this done in Mexico at a tequila
factory tour and I don't remember whether to pull the point up, as the leaf
grows, or down. I guess you'll just have to try this stuff. (I know, I know,
tough assignment, but someone has to do it! :) :) :) ) You need to see the
needle and thread to believe what the effect is.
Take Care
Merv
From - Mon Dec 23 08:10:58 1996
From: Chris Smith
Subject: Re: Cordage
from Maguey Cactus
That first yucca fiber cordage post (sorry, I
forgot who)...
Yucca stalks are practically all fiber, too. See
if you can pound some of that down, if you ever take one down.
Odd cactus handling story:
Friend of mine named John lives in a place called
Millard Canyon in the Southern Californian mountains (used to live right there,
too). Place is frequented by Christopher Nyerges (gratuitous plug here): School
for Self Reliance
http://home.earthlink.net/~nyerges/
Anyway, John's a big, wild man, and takes his
chainsaw to a whole hillside of Maguey cactus at his cabin (big jade green -
sometimes green and yellow - 5 ft. long sword-leafed pointy thing they make
tequila with). The cactus juice aerosolized all over the place until he went
anaphylactic and nearly died. OK, well...take the machete route, like they do in
Mexico. That's my advice. I've stripped off fiber strings from the tip and this
stuff is great, though I haven't used it for needle and thread work - crossed my
mind. Funny thing, I lived across the creek and my other neighbor was an animal
importer with a large glassed rain forest habitat full of those tiny
fluorescent-colored poison Panamanian tree frogs you guys have been writing
about that the Cuna Indians rub on their blowgun darts. Guess you can buy them
and breed them... 'course he had cobra's there and the rattler's lived loose in
the yard.
Chris
From - Mon Dec 23 08:11:43 1996
From: James E. Burdine
Subject: More
On Yucca Cordage
Not Long ago...
I have forgotten who first brought this up, but, cordage is probably one of the more important products being used for rope, traps, bow strings, lashings, clothing, etc... I have some yucca plants in my backyard from which I understand some very good cordage can be made. Would I have to dry the leaves prior to attempting to separate the fibers?
Sincerely,
Barent
I had to look for a reference to find this. PRIMITIVE FIRE AND CORDAGE by John McPherson stated:
"The leaf of the yucca gives the strongest cordage of any of the plant fibers that I have worked. It is also easy to work. It has the added advantage of being usable when green or dried. With the yucca leaf, the fibers are in the inside. Take the dried leaf and beat it gently to separate the fibers some. This helps it to soften faster while soaking. Then soak the pounded leaves until they are supple. When like green, or if green, take a rounded knife blade( flint or other wise) and scrape the outer covering from both sides (the soaking makes this easier with dried leaves). Then work the fibers loose by rubbing back and forth with your fingers. Superb cordage material."
Touch of the Bear
JB
From - Fri Dec 27 05:38:20 1996
From: Benjamin Pressley
Subject: FAST,
SURVIVAL BOW DRILL STRINGS
Barry Keegan is a good friend of mine that wrote
an excellent article in our TRIBE newsletter. He is a very skilled survival and
wilderness living skills instructor. He wrote the following excellent article on
the subject of making strings for bow and drill firemaking sets. I think you all
will find it extremely informative. Also if anyone is in the NY area, check out
his excellent classes. Information on contacting him follows his article.
FAST, SURVIVAL BOW DRILL STRINGS - Why
Spend Time Fiddling With Your Bow? By Barry Keegan ©Barry Keegan 1996
WHY BOW DRILL?
The hand drill fire is the fastest means of
making fire: if you must start from scratch. l found this to be true in arid
environments or seasons of drought. New York State is far from being arid! After
years of practicing the hand drill fire I have reached MY physical limitations.
I was finally able to make hand drill fires with a spindle and fire board of
very dry Mockernut Hickory (our most dense native wood) but I still couldn't
make fire with a damp Mullein stalk spindle on a willow fire board.
Using a bow drill to make fire is more reliable
than a hand drill. Because of this climate, damp wood may be all that I have to
work with. The problem, though, is finding a good bow drill string that won't
take long to make or find! This was a lot of work and lead me to rediscover what
can be used.
WHY PLANTS?
I limited my self to plant fibers because in a
survival situation I can't always rely on animal products to be available for
cordage material. For clarityís sake I will rank these bow drill strings in
categories beginning with the most year-round available cordage and ending with
the most specialized and seasonal ones. Tree bark, branch bark and root bark,
roots, wood, stalk fibers, leaf fibers, vines and runners.
TREE BARKS
I will begin with tree barks because they are
available when the ground is covered by even the deepest of snow. Tree barks
also happen to make some of the strongest cords and most of the good ones can be
peeled at any time of year. I list tree barks in two categories: Branch barks
and Root barks, because each behaves differently and are often handled
differently.
Branch Barks
"Branch Barks" is the category of bark
that comes from any part of the tree that is not a root. However, certain parts
of the tree provide far stronger bark than others. Select a shoot or branch that
is somewhat straight, preferably with no branches, scars, dead spots or any such
flaws that interrupt the bark fibers. The branch should be about three feet long
and at least thumb thickness to obtain enough bark for a cord. Avoid very
tapered branches. Do pick a healthy branch, dying trees have dying bark and work
about as good as they look. Knot holes in bark strings may cause separations
that tear out during use. What kind of tree you use is of major importance.
The strongest bow drill string of tree bark fiber
in New York also happens to be one of the easiest to make. Mockernut and Pignut
Hickory work better than other hickories and are my favorite choices!
Peeling Bark
As a general rule, May 1 through August 1 is
peeling season: the time of year that bark peels easiest from trees! This is not
a long season but farther south it may be longer. The Basswood tree has its own
season which starts earlier and ends later than others. Basswood is the easiest
to peel at any time of year. There are three methods that I know of to remove
bark at any time of year. None of these methods are necessary during peeling
season unless you have an unusually difficult branch.
To obtain bark out of "peeling season",
you may use pounding, split-separation or if we weren't trying to make a fire,
we could use the fire to carefully roast or steam the bark off.
I will begin by discussing the easiest of these
methods and end with the most difficult. I will not discuss the roasting method
for obvious reasons.
Peeling In Season
Cut or abrade off your branch of choice and
remove any twigs or branchlets, if you have them. On the cut end try to peel the
bark free, as if to begin peeling a banana. If it easily separates, and it
should, examine the branch for knot holes or areas of removed twigs. You may
want to use a sharp stone flake or knife to score the entire length of the
branch to make two or three bark strips of even width and as little taper as
possible. This is the best way if you did have branchlets on your branch because
you can make the cuts align with the branch scars. Holes in your bark strips are
less of a problem if they are on the edge of the strip instead of the center.
Careful peeling can produce good results without
scoring if you peel both or all three sides at the same time. You need at least
two feet of cord from this branch so go slowly and carefully. Watch for sticky
spots! Knots can be very sticky. Pull the bark strip at a 35 degree angle or
less from its branch to minimize the tapering tear. Pulling straight up (90
degrees) or back on itself (180 degrees) will drastically increase the taper or
tear out. Sometimes rocking the strip back and forth as you pull on it can free
up the bark at a sticky knot area. If it still sticks, consult the pounding
section of this article for another way.
Once in a while I find a branch that won't peel,
even in peeling season! Trees can be as different as people are, so, if this
happens, find another tree or at least a healthier branch. Peel your bark right
away or store the branch completely under water until peeled. Elm bark may not
peel the next day after it has been cut. Hickory may not peel after being cut
three days before and is noted to stick in times of draught, especially on high
hills. On the contrary, Basswood may still peel a month after being cut if it
sat in a damp shady place.
As a general rule, the youngest branch or shoot
that grew the longest length in the shortest amount of time produces the best
bark! Some trees like Aspens will give strong bark only on its one year old
growth. Good luck finding long straight Aspen twigs that are big enough to
provide enough bark to make a sturdy bow drill string. I had to peel 25 ordinary
sized twigs to make mine!
If a branch broke off about two years ago and a
bunch of sprouts grew from that wound, there may be enough bark on one of these
sprouts to make six bow drill strings. Arrow and basket makers purposely cut
back Willows and other plants to force them to grow more suitable shoots for
materials. This is called copusing! The deer or a storm may have done some
copusing for you. If you know your trees well, i.e. Willows grow by water and
deer go there a lot, you may find some choice sprouts growing from a broken
"buck-rubbed" branch. Beaver love to eat Aspen!
Pounding Bark "Out of Season"
If the bark doesn't peel from your branch, find a
smooth stone or smooth the bark off of a dead log, this will be your anvil. Then
find a sturdy branch of wrist diameter for your pounding mallet. Break it to a
one foot length. Scrape your anvil and mallet smooth of any protrusions that may
injure the bark that you pound.
Lay the branch across the anvil and begin
pounding at the thick end of your branch. Pound till the bark separates on all
sides. You need to strike hard, but not so hard that the bark gets crushed. Work
down about six inches of the branch's length, pounding every inch or so on at
least two of its sides. The bark does separate from the mallet side as well as
the anvil side of each blow, if the strike is well centered.
Once you get the feel for how much or little
pounding is needed, you can pound the whole branch and then peel it, of course,
going slowly to watch for sticky spots. Pound where it sticks till it pulls free
easily. If you pull the bark hard past where it sticks you may leave the
strongest part of your cord stuck to the branch as the bark tears out thinner.
If it is close to peeling season and the bark
sticks, you may score the bark before pounding. Little pounding is needed at
this time to remove the bark. In mid winter you will have to pound the bark so
hard that it will split where it wants and you will have to choose from what you
are left with. At times you may have to pound so hard that the branch becomes
splinters! Hickory bark is very tough and can take a lot more beating than other
"cordage grade" tree barks.
Hickory and Basswood are the easiest branch barks
to remove by pounding because they don't crush easily under the mallet. Gentle
mallet work can help remove the bark from Pawpaw, Elm (Slippery and American),
Tulip Poplar and Willow. These barks are more delicate! Try working with one to
three inch diameter branches because the bark is thicker on bigger growth and
can withstand more mallet work. However, pounding becomes ineffective on
branches that are more than three inches thick.
You should have no problem obtaining at least
one, hopefully two or three, full length bark strips from your branch. Even if
the worst happens and your bark as well as your branch are in splinters, save
those splinters and keep reading, you can still make a string!
Split - Separation In or Out of
"Peeling Season"
Once you have learned the split-separation
peeling method you may never pound bark again! Now you can peel bark (if you
haven't already). This method of peeling may require a lot more practice than
pounding but you will be able to peel bark from nearly all of the cordage grade
trees at any time of year! Take your thumb-thick branch from a tree or bush by
abrading half way through its top side. Then pull down on the branch so it
splits and make the split run about two inches down the desired end of the
branch. Then abrade the branch off. You need to split the whole branch in half.
Any split-shoot basketry book or article will
show you how to do this, but, basically you need to pull with equal pressure and
angles on both halves of the split to guide the split down the stick. If one
side becomes thicker, pull it at an increased angle to steer the split back to
center. This is a faster way to make two equal sized strips without using a
stone flake to score the branch. A branch that is thicker than a thumb may be
split in three by splitting and pulling on all three splits at once or also
split into four by halving the halves.
Remove bark by snapping the split stick near the
center very slowly by bending it in both hands, pressing your thumbs on the bark
side and bending away so it breaks down to the bark, revealing it. Next bend the
break at a 35 degree angle so the wood that clings to the bark peels away from
the bark. Then, if you're a righty, hold the branch at the crack, in your left
hand so it lays along your left arm down to your elbow and with your right hand,
lift and pull away the wood from the bark.
You want the bark to stay flat and taut. Just as
if guiding a split, you need to pull on the wood part of the branch so it does
all of the bending because it is much thicker than the bark. This should look
like a backwards, small letter "y". If the branch cracks or breaks
off, peel up the next section as you did the last, from where it broke off. Keep
peeling it like this until all of the wood is removed from that half of the
stick.
Then flip the branch around so you are holding
the peeled bark in your left hand and the stick part lays along your left arm,
as before, and remove the rest of the wood from the bark. With practice this can
be done in two or three minutes.
You may lose some bark to splintering on its
outer edges. This is less likely to happen if you split the branch into thirds
or fourths because the flatter the bark lays on its branch, the easier it is to
pull free. Imagine peeling masking tape from a wall compared to peeling it from
a pencil which has been covered with a length-wise strip of tape and the edges
wrap all of the way around.
Remove the splinters from your bark strips by
pulling the bark splinter at a 180 degree angle (back over onto itself). This
causes it to intentionally tear out without tearing far at all. Woods that are
flexible, like Willows (especially shrubs), will allow you to split a branch in
half, third or fourth down along its growth ring(s) so the wood part of the
branch is about as thick as the bark is. This makes it easier to separate the
bark without breaking the wood part as much. Butternut or White Walnut are too
fragile to be pounded but may give strong cordage when peeled in this manner.
Even in January it provides a strip whose strength compares to some Hickories.
Do remove the outer bark when using Butternut,
Mulberry, Osage Orange, Aspen or any bark that won't twist without cracking the
outer bark. Outer bark may be removed by scraping with a stone flake or by
abrading it off on a gritty rock, but the fastest method leaves you with the
strongest results: split-separation! Split the outer bark from the inner bark at
one end by using a sharp edge or bend the bark so the outer part snaps away from
you. Then peel up a section and split it in half as you would split a branch, by
pulling with equal tension and angles on both halves.
Root Bark
I will discuss how to dig, find and select roots
for cordage later in this article. How many branches are on your root is not as
important for root bark as it is for root wood or branch bark strings. Hickory
root bark is the strongest of the root barks. It is as strong, if not stronger,
than its branch bark and is easier to remove.
Hickory, Walnut, Osage Orange, Red Cedar and some
of the Elms and Cherries have root bark that is much stronger than the wood part
of their roots. With Mulberry, Black Locust, Willow, American Elm and Hemlock,
their root barks and root-wood fibers can be equally as strong. I have found
some variations of strength within species and environments.
With the exception of Hickory, the root barks
listed above share a unique characteristic unlike any other local plant fiber
cordages: elasticity! A root bark bow drill string can stretch up to two inches
when pulled tight. Because of its elasticity bow drill strings of root bark do
not need to be as thick as those of branch bark. A thumb-thick root is overkill
and a pinky-thick root is ideal. For an example of extreme strength I made a
fire with a Hemlock tree's root bark string, taken from a root which was half as
thick as a pencil. The string itself was as wide as a strand of spaghetti.
To remove root bark, first cut your root and
remove its smaller branches. Hang the root over a branch and hold it by both
ends as if you were using it to saw the branch. A branch with toothy bark is
ideal but do remove any sharp protrusions that may cut the root or its bark.
Buff through the root bark on one side by pulling the root in a back and forth
sawing motion. As soon as you've exposed the wood core down the whole root's
length, pry the inner root gently out of its bark sheath. Peel the bark from the
root at the same 35 degree angle that you would to remove tree bark.
Root bark peels easiest in bark peeling season.
It peels almost as easily when out of season! You do not need to pound roots to
remove their bark. Split-separation does work on roots but it's not necessary.
Walnut is one of the few root barks that needs to be separated from its brittle
outer bark. Most of the root barks listed here may be used "as is" for
bow drill strings. Root bark is a better choice than branch bark when it's
available.
Barry Keegan and his partner Anthony Follari
operate a school in Elmsford, NY called PATHWAYS that teaches a variety of
primitive, survival and wilderness living skills. If you wish to contact Barry
or would like a brochure of classes they have to offer, write or call: Barry
Keegan, 6 Heather Lane, Elmsford, NY 100523
Benjamin Pressley.
From - Thu Jan 16 11:06:42 1997
From: diogenes@SURVIVAL.COM
Subject: Sinew
Processing and Bow String
I've made a few long bows over the years and I've
always tried to use sinew strings on them. The strings work for a few months and
then blow. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on the preparation of
the sinew that might enhance it's longevity.
Of the techniques I've tried, this is what has
been working best for me:
Use a tendon from a cow's neck or rear leg.
Scrape to clean it of loose material. Urine soak for 24-48 hours. Wash
thoroughly with clear water, dry. Set aside for months in a clean, dry dark
place. After the tendon looks translucent, I break it down to the fibers by
pounding and/or stripping. I double twist the fibers to make the string. Once
the string is set, I soak it in my mouth for an hour or two. The saliva seems to
bind the string. I make the end loops for the bow limbs and serve these with
more tendon. That’s it. Any suggestions?
Ron Hood.
From - Thu Jan 16 11:07:20 1997
From: Benjamin Pressley
Subject: Re: More
On Sinew Processing and Bow String
diogenes@SURVIVAL.COM wrote:
Just a question.....
I've had lots of problems with sinew as a bow
string also. I don't use it for that purpose anymore. I use it for other
bindings like on arrow points, hafting stone blades, etc. I prefer rawhide and
you may want to try spiral cutting the neck hide of snapping turtle, makes a
nice strong string. Just strip it off and clean it up with a knife or something
and cord it. Don't cook it off. That probably doesn't answer your question on
sinew, but I thought I'd comment.
Benjamin Pressley.
From - Wed Jan 22 06:55:52 1997
From: Grant Goltz
Subject: Cordage
- Types & Collection
A week or so back, someone in the group inquired
about cordage. Haven't noticed any posts in response, so will to pass on some
info. As far as techniques, the information on the Native Tech web site is as
good as any.
http://www.lib.uconn.edu/native tech
Follow their links to cordage. They do a good job
on the technique, with step-by-step illustrations. Their info on fibers is less
helpful, basically just a listing with illustrations of finished cord which all
look about the same. There is a lot of other good stuff at this site.
I will try to give a bit of more detailed
information on fiber types.
I will avoid more technical terminology as much
as possible and just say that fibers can be grouped into three general groups:
animal fibers (sinew, rawhide, hair), tree bark fibers, and herbaceous plant
fibers. I will only discuss the last two groups for now.
TREE BARK FIBERS
These generally consist of the inner bark
portion. Two of the most useful tree bark fibers are cedar and basswood. Since I
don't have much experience with cedar, I will only give detailed info on
basswood fiber.
Basswood (Tilia
americana) is found throughout most of eastern North America where
hardwood forests are present. I believe other species of the genus are found in
parts of Europe. Although, in a pinch it is possible to collect some basswood
fiber most of the year (really tough when frozen), it is best gathered in early
summer when the sap is flowing. The trees often grow in clumps, so I usually
select a 4 to 6 inch tree from a clump and cut it down (don't be too concerned
about this, since these clumps naturally thin out as they grow bigger anyway -
you are just helping nature). I pry the bark off starting at the base in 2 to 4
inch wide strips. These easily peel up the tree. After the first strip, it is
easier to get really long strips.
After the strips are gathered, bundle them up in
a long bunch and soak them in a lake or stream for 2 to 3 weeks. After enough
time you will notice that they get really slimy (mucilaginous) and the inner
layers of bark start to separate. When the inner bark gets really loose, strip
it off and run through your hand to remove the slime. Keep all of the layers
together, you can separate them when you get ready to use. You will notice that
the innermost layers are the thinnest and smoothest. Roll into coils and dry. It
will store indefinitely if kept dry. To use, just separate the layers and make
into whatever width strips that you need. Before using, you can boil the strips
for a half hour or so to strengthen them slightly.
HERBACEOUS PLANT FIBERS
These are typically the fibers in the outer
"rind" of the plant stem. Some of the fibers in this group are
incredibly strong. Common plants include milkweeds, dogbanes, and
nettles. Of these, I favor the wood nettle, Laportea
canadensis, over all of the rest. It has the longest, strongest,
and easiest to process fibers. It grows throughout most of eastern North America
and perhaps other areas. Unlike stinging nettle, it is native to this part of
the world.
Wood nettle favors moist environments and grows
best in rather rich soils under hardwood stands. Around here the best nettles
grow on the thick black "midden" soils on heavily used archaeological
sites located along the shores of large lakes. This material can be gathered any
time after the stems have died in the fall. At this time they don't sting any
more and the fibers are mature. Just grab them and pull them up, the base of the
stem weakens and they pull easily.
Although the fiber can be processed by crushing
the dry stems and pulling off the fiber, more and longer fibers are obtained by
soaking the stems and stripping off the outer rind. I usually soak bundles in
warm water in an old bathtub for a few hours to overnight. After the rind is
striped, it should be dried thoroughly and then "broken up" similar to
processing back strap sinew. You can carry the processing step as far as you
wish, depending on how soft and fine of fibers you want.
Wood nettle can be gathered for about a six month
season in this part of the country. Unlike many plant fibers, it does not
deteriorate through the winter, only with warmer, wet weather in late winter and
spring. In fact, I just gathered a big bunch Monday.
Normally, I gather it in the fall after a good
frost, but last fall got too busy. I began weaving a new fabric bag which I will
be using for a pottery making demonstration in Saskatchewan in May (need to show
the non-believers that the "cord" impressions found on pots are really
impressions from fabric bags and not cord-wrapped paddles) and found I didn't
have enough fiber to complete it. Since Monday was a nice day (sunny and 20
degrees (F)), we grabbed the snowshoes and took the three mile trek to gather
nettle in three foot deep snow, great fun, I will for sure be out this fall. We
managed to get 900 stems in about an hour, which will produce about 3 pounds of
fiber. I have processed about 1/3 of it so far, and it is as good as gathered in
the fall. I plan to use some of the longer fibers for a few bow strings.
Most of this fiber is 5 feet long with some 6
feet, really nice stuff. BTW, I gathered some stinging nettle a few weeks back
(I could drive to it) and it was unusable. The fibers were weak and short and
did not separate from the stem. I also tried some dogbane from near the house,
but I got a low yield of 1 1/2 to 2 foot fibers (I was trying to avoid the
snowdrift venture).
The wood nettle fiber is very strong. You cannot
break a less than 1/8 inch twisted cord. It can be processed readily and is
suitable for small mammal snares if you can keep them from chewing through. Most
of the other herbaceous plant fibers are similar, though in my opinion, less
desirable.
I mentioned weaving bags from this stuff. If
anyone is interested in this, let me know and I will try to post some details.
This all comes from researching impressions on indigenous ceramics from the
area, and is unlike the normal weaving we are used to. It makes a flexible
fabric suited to a variety of uses. Anyone for a nettle shirt or sleeping bag?
Grant Goltz
Native American Technologies
P. O. Box 121
Longville, MN 56655
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 1997 22:36:19 -0400
From: Rob Chatburn
Subject: Re: Dogbane
Cordage
Good post on cordage Grant.
In my neck of the woods Dogbane
(Apocynum androsaemifolium) makes the best cordage.
Simply step on the dead stalks (collected in fall or winter), split, and peel
off the inner wood and pith in small chunks leaving the long outer strands.
There is a crusty scale on the outermost portion of the fibers that should be
removed also, by rubbing between the fingers or hands. Watch
out about licking your fingers when working with it as it is poisonous(contains glycosides capable of affecting the cardiovascular system).
Also, I have often found dead basswood trees with
old bark that has been naturally retted. Long thin strips of inner bark are
there for the picking, but I'm not sure it is as strong as when fresh bark is
treated as you suggest. What do you think?
Rob Chatburn
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