Rope!

[Brasilikilt]

Hello everyone.

I've always had a hard time finding good rope and smaller fibrous cordage to use on various projects.
All the stores seem to sell the same coarse sisal, cotton, and synthetics. All of it is either too thick, too stiff or simply has the wrong look altogether.

Some months ago I set out to experiment with making my own, and got a little carried away with it!
I originally started out making small cords and lanyards out of cotton string, jute and hemp twine.
After playing with different yarn-per-strand ratios, getting a better feel for which tensions and twists work best, and untangling more than a few bunched-up twisted "learning mistakes", my little cords and lanyards gradually got longer and thicker and eventually got to be 3/8" dia. with lengths reaching a bit over 60'-for lack of a longer back yard.





What I eventually made is much more than I can see myself using anytime soon.
I'm wondering if there is any interest among the reenacting community for hand made jute and hemp rope. It seems like most people (including those who have all their gear and clothing as PC as humanly possible) don't give things like rope much thought, and simply make do with the hardware store stuff.
Anyway, I figured I would share the results of this ongoing project for those of you who may be interested.
Thanks for looking!

 

[Stophel]

That's good lookin' stuff! Are you actually doing it "by hand", rolling it out on your leg or some other method, or do you have a rope twisting gizmo?

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

That looks great :thumbsup: I never would have given that a thought before.

 

[Flint311]

Looks very good! Is that a Flemish twist style?

 

[ZUG]

While I've never had an interest in period correct rope I do admire your craftsmanship skills. If I ever need this type of rope I know where to go thanks for posting :bow:

 

[George]

That's impressive craftsmanship, thanks for posting.

I have some flax/linen rope, 50' of 3/16" and 25' of 5/16" which I've been using for quite a while. Good stuff, strong, I hang my deer with it for butchering. It's commercial, though, bought from vendors at some trade fair or meet years ago.



I'd be interested in a description of your method.

Spence

 

[Stophel]

Spence, looks like you have some of that fine small linen rope like I have. I only have one hank of it and it's really beautiful.... so much so I haven't wanted to cut it or use it! :haha: It is glazed and very smooth and slick. Super nice. Wish I could find more! I got it probably at Mansker's many long years ago.

I recently got a bunch of linen rope from someone in Latvia on Etsy. Neat and useful, but not as pretty as that shown here. :wink:

 

[George]

I can't remember where I bought my ropes, it has been a long time. I use mine, have broken the smaller one a couple of times, but they have held up very well.

Spence

 

[Jaeger]

Good lookin' stuff! Do you have one of those geared whatchamacallits with a crank handle and four hooks or loops for each of the strands? A couple guys in my reenactor clubs make rope, and their stuff is impressive. I believe one has the crude mechanical device, and the other guy does it by hand, but either way, their ropes are nice and smooth and preferable to what you can buy in a store.

 

[Black Hand]

I've made several hundred feet of 2-ply reverse-twist rope from hemp twine using my power drill. All my scouting buddies have a 20-30 ft length of this rope in their gear.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I've used rope making with a Boy Scout style rope maker as a non-fire specific demonstration. My canteens all have hemp cordage. It's a lot of fun, but the cost of the hemp twine makes it kinda pricey.

LD

 

[MSW]

way cool!!

 

[erock1980]

very nice

 

[BillinOregon]

Ian, you did a really nice job with your home-spun rope. They used to have a rope-making machine set up at the Columbia Maritime Museum in Astoria.
You make an excellent point about accurate rope being widely ignored. Most of us think very little about the whole concept of cordage.
It was brought home to me some years ago when I took an interest in paleolithic technology. Cordage is one of our species' first inventions, and a critical item in the human tool kit. I have played at making simple cordage out of the fiber of dogbane. Milkweed and nettles fibers also serve very well. A paleo pal killed a nice buck a few years ago with a homemade yew bow, willow arrow shaft and obsidian arrowhead he knapped and hafted using home-made ponderosa pine pitch glue and dogbane twine. But the most impressive part of his kit was the bow string he twisted up out of dogbane.
Sorry for the hijack!

 

[Grumpa]

If I may interject, not a hijack at all. You have enlarged on the original post with your own experience, along with a most interesting account of your friend, and finishing with an appropriate comment that brought your post right back to the main subject of cordage.

Sort of like a little side path that takes one to a nice overlook, then comes right back to the original trail.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Looks good and I always admire when folks make things for themselves.
But, the lazy in me says there are times when store bought is fine and leaves time for other doings.
I have always used plain manila rope and twine at ronny. Cheap, strong and biodegradable. I'll leave scraps on ground as it will rot or toss in fire and/or use for tinder to start a fire.
But, this is a do yer own thang game. Twist away. :grin:

 

[Brasilikilt]

Hey guys!

I started this thread a WHILE ago, completely dropped the ball and left many of you with unanswered questions....
Seriously though, I've had quite a bit on my plate recently!
My original thought was to acquire some salvaged spur gears and assemble something PC for the 17th/18thc. or at least comparable to the antique geared rope machines being sold at a premium these days. http://www.antiqbuyer.com/images/ARCHIVE_PICS/farm-archive-pics/ROPE/wonderrope.jpg

I had seen gears being tossed out for scrap so many times before, but had passed them up because they were cast iron, which is not forge-able and has limited use as far as blacksmithing is concerned.
When I actually have a specific use for them in mind....Nary a one to be found!

I did have a thought to use the toothed gear wheels off bicycles...Maybe with some creative welding, grinding and hammering, they could be made to look more appropriate for reenacting purposes.

The machine I made was stupidly simple, and quick to put together from materials at hand: just a few pieces from a shipping crate, screws, nails and some heavy wire....I wanted to get busy making rope, not dig through more scrap bins!
It's basically a rough and dirty version of this: https://www.lehmans.com/images/product/large/937.jpg
For simplicity's sake, I'll post this link showing the process. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By8K5mKSwDA
They didn't address the fact that the yarns of the rope lose length as they are twisted tighter,so the spinner at the opposite end of the twisting machine needs to be able to be pulled along as the rope loses length...but weighted sufficiently to provide enough resistance to the tension of the rope.
I recently pulled my rope making kit out of the garage with plans of making more.
If there's enough interest, I could be persuaded to take photos and do a more detailed tutorial, so let me know.
Thanks for all the feedback and compliments!
BK