Retting Bark For Cordage

This video- shows how to take, down a small tree, strip off the bark, soaking it to loosen fibers, and preparation for spinning and making cordage. This method can be used from spring to mid summer.

[@bozzskaggs112]

This video has opened my eyes a bit wider on making cordage. Three years ago I had a 30 min lesson using dogbane and took home a six inch length of reverse twist cordage and I felt like a champ. Six months ago, basically house bound due to auto immune issues, I looked around the yard and decided to pull down a couple of two-three inch diameter poplar limbs before they fell. Poplar limbs up very naturally which is one reason anyone lost and stranded in the boondocks should look for this tree. These dead limbs break off easily and the mast makes great tinder while the same limb gives kindling and a few feet wrist-sized firewood and potentially enough fiber for small cordage if it hasn't rotted while on the tree. Then there's the bark of the tree trunk as well as other dead limbs for shelter. Tangent. Sorry. I've cheated to learn the process making cordage by buying jute and sisal string to practice the reverse twist. Raffia is a great medium for cordage. Some splits into tough thread sized fiber that could be used on both ends in arrow making along with pitch glue if sinew and hide glue are not available. I now see the huge advantage of using freshly peeled and retted bark! That explains much. Thank you. Two criticisms, the first negative (kinda). Don't look at the screen on your camera look at the lens. This way you are looking at us. The positive critique is this. You know what you're doing and you communicate it very well. Please continue with vids like this.

[@Hootyhoo-jq9vq]

Your explanation is spot on. I never thought about it “breaking down”. Thats an excellent way to describe it.

[@Mamabrew]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge 🖤 I’m making a bodark bow and I’m going to make my own cordage for the bow string and make my own arrows

[@WomanTakenBytheWind]

Walter, thank you! I was wondering how to make cord for basket weaving. This makes perfect sense.

[@craigcolbourn8351]

Great vid! Liked how you soaked it in water.

[@vincentditizio8790]

Keep them coming. Great work!

[@cjxlisa]

So good, and thorough explanation for anyone to accomplish the task!

[@Tinkering4Time]

I look forward to trying this technique.

[@josephhoward3354]

Thank you for all your great knowledge ;)

[@robertking5869]

Great video!

[@gabriel4d]

Thanks for the tutorial

[@bavlen]

Very interesting

[@TimeSurfer206]

I think the first thing I did after i collected a couple Tree Skeletons would be to use them to make a workbench. I'm an old electrician and the less time I spend on my knees, the better.

[@sethwarner2540]

Sir, do you know anything about making hinges from hickory? Thanks for the info on inner bark of yellow poplar!

[@munchkin5674]

What species of tree are you using?

[@FirstnameLastname-bn4gv]

You mentioned that the bark needs to ret for 3-4 days. Are you sure that's correct? The bark I harvested this year still isn't ready after almost 2 weeks.

[@kellyroup4262]

I know that you can boil willow bark with a handful of ash and it turns a dark rusty red but it also makes it softer and tougher. Have you ever tried something like that with this poplar? I live in S. Tx. And don't have poplar here but am curious because I was raised in Ohio and there's plenty there.

[@Tinkering4Time]

Hmmm. Ash is often caustic, especially hardwood ash (lye is leeched from ashes) so that may help the bark break down.

[@njordmannen]

That is a basic form of chemical retting. I will try that myself this weekend, just to test. But will most likely do water retting as it was the go to for my reenactment timeline.

[@gintersranka2804]

What kind of tree it is?

[@exdy-eb3dv]

which tree did you use?

[@daviddavidson6543]

This guy is the Albert Einstein of stuff I want to learn about.