How to Make Rope From Bark

Rope is an essential tool for wilderness survival. In fact, a strong cord can help you start a fire with a bowdrill, fish, set traps and build shelter. If you have no rope, you can make it from plant fibers. Dead fallen branches from willow, cedar, white basswood and tulip trees, aka poplar, are good sources. Other dead plants can be used as well. Dogbane or milkweed make a good rope, but you can use whatever dead plant fibers you can scavenge and most anything should work well if you prepare the rope with the proper techniques.

Instructions

    • 1

      Collect limbs from dead trees and fallen branches. The branches should be dead but brown. Gray pieces are too old and may not be as strong.

    • 2

      Start at the base of a limb and separate a strip of bark with your fingers. Pull it up and out, away from the branch, to separate a long strip of bark from one end of the limb to the other.

    • 3

      Strip away the outer bark. Again, use your fingers to separate it at one end and then pull it down the length of the limb to remove it. Now you are left with just the inner bark, which is what we will twist into a cord.

    • 4

      Separate the strip of inner bark into two long ribbons by tearing it in half lengthwise. Separate it into smaller strips if you want to make a very thin cord such as fishing line.

    • 5

      Reverse twist the two strands together. This means that you twist one strand away from you while wrapping the two strands together in the opposite direction, swapping their positions. Repeat the action over and over, working your way down the length of the strands. Thus, the twisting action in opposite directions keeps the two strands from untwisting. For more help with the reverse twist, view the video at the link below.

    • 6

      To make a thicker rope, add two thinner cords together with the reverse wrap. Repeat until you have achieved the desired thickness.