First attempt at Cordage

psy-ops

psy-ops

Joined
Sep 27, 1999
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My wife, son and I drove from Mississippi to California this past week. We car camped a few nights. I could not pass up the opportunity to harvest a few Yucca leaves. This way I could practice making cordage.

This photo is using my favorite baton to smash the yucca into fibrous shreds.
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This photo was taken after the smashing. Then you soak the fibers in some water for a day or so.
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Next you start twisting the fibers.

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Finally, you got some cordage

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This was my first attempt. I did not try any splicing yet. I wanted to keep it simple.
 
You´re off to a good start. Now get splicing! Seriously the worst that can happen is that you'll screw it up a few times and then you'll learn how to make cord as long as you want. Cordage making is a very usefull skill. Mac
 
I have to say that making cordage has always intrigued me and I concider it one of several pure survival skills along with flint napping ,making fire and traps.Traps , shelter building, fishing all made easyer with cordage.
 
Nice. yucca is the only material I have used for making cordage, and it's probably one of the best. (We have tons around here too!)
 
Thanks for the encouragement.

Pict, you are right. I will start ASAP.

Hollowdweller, I am sure your cordage is strong enough to get it done. I love the term field expedient.
 
I'll have to try some yucca too:thumbup: I have some growing over by the cabin I own across the hollow.:thumbup:
 
P.O, HD,

Congrats, your attempts are successes. I don't get such good results with nettle although it's a good material.

dantzk.
 
I'm pretty lucky in that I can buy large bags of sisal fiber, which is essentially yucca, for practice. I have made fibers from the yucca type plants we have here but they make be break out in a rash if I get it on my arms, makes great cordage though.

Even if you get it wrong a few times you learn something each time. Once you get it down it's like riding a bike and you'll find you can make decent cordage from just about anything. The key is learning to be consistent with both the amount of material and tension that's all there is to it. You can work on speed once you get a system down that works of for you.

I have a video on my channel that show how I make cord. I use the same process with sisal as I do with bark, though the sisal is far easier and can make finer cordage. Try to start your cord by doubling over a bundle of strands. That will leave a very clean end that can then be doubled back and woven into the plies to make a loop. Mac
 
Looks good, how did it look after it dried out? I tried cordage once with some long grass, that came out good, but was worthless once it dried out.
 
stingray4540 said:
Looks good, how did it look after it dried out? I tried cordage once with some long grass, that came out good, but was worthless once it dried out.
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Yesterday when I made it, it was still wet. My 30 lbs. son held on to it and I was able to lift him off the ground. This morning, I we did the same thing and it held up. since I just made it I am not going to destroy it yet. I will make a few more before I test its strength.
 
looks like an awesome first attempt.

i have only done cordage from various synthetics (strips of plastic bag, VHS tape, etc) because i can't seem to find any of the traditional cordage plants around here...maybe i am not looking hard enough.
 
Before I got the yucca, I did some hemp braiding for a year or so. I would recommend doing this as practice for beginners. Then when you get some to raw materials, you at least have been working the neural patterns for a while.
 
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