Making Cordage from Natural Materials

Cordage — that is, thread, string, or rope — is all but indispensable in a survival situation. It can be used for (among other things) bowstrings, fishing lines, trap triggers, snares, and lashings. Most people would likely despair if forced to make string or make rope. However, suitable natural materials are plentiful in most places and the techniques required for making cordage are actually quite simple to master.

Materials and Their Attributes

Just about any strong, flexible fiber can be used to produce good cordage. The dried inner bark of most trees, for example, will supply you with workable raw material. It’s best to look for trees with dead bark, and strip off long sections of the fibrous cambium layer between the wood and the outer bark. If you’re in a true survival situation, you can even