Cordage

Burdock makes good cordage. The outer skin is used, just as in dogbane. Plants from the previous year can still be used effectively.

Here is a small length of cordage made from burdock of the current year. It is still green, although it has dried out a little bit. This was made in October.

Sedges can make decent cordage. However, they should be partially dry. 

This length of cordage was made from green sedges, and it broke under strain.

Hemp is a classic cordage material.

Prior to the rise in use of marijuana it was widely used as cordage. Unfortunately it came to be regarded by many as being the "same" as marijuana, and so fell into disuse. But hemp is not at all like marijuana, and there is absolutely no way you can get high by smoking it.

Hemp makes excellent, strong cordage.

This is a photo of hemp cordage.

This cordage was made from Agave fibers. Agave is found in the American southwest (Arizona etc). It has long tough fibers which make it an ideal cordage material.

Agave is also known as "Century Plant", because it grows for many years as a rosette of leaves, then one year it suddenly sends up a very tall flower stalk (10 feet tall or more) and then dies.

For more info, please see the Agave Cordage page on this site.

Made by Rob Bicevskis

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