Rope Plant

[Chief]

This is the plant in Florida i use to make rope.





It's name is Yucca filamentosa or Adams needle.

I will post how I do this process and rope I have made.

This is a work in process so anything anyone might not understand please ask questions.

Also anyone having anything to add including other material to make plants with/processes please feel free to share

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Looking forward to it. I've done a few post on yucca uses here as well

https://www.survivalandpreparednessforum.com/showthread.php?2160-Survival-Sewing&highlight=yucca

https://www.survivalandpreparednessforum.com/showthread.php?2074-Yucca-Plant-Cordage&highlight=yucca

Glad to see a usable skills post

[Chief]

Thanks for the links Matt. The process is the same no matter what material you use. We just have to make sure the matrerial is durable enough.

This is some babies at my place. I am starting a rope plant farm. I have 5 growing now on my property.



This is a more mature one, but not at my place.



Here is the leaves I take from the plant. I try to get the ones that fall closer to the ground and are ready to fall off. You can use fresh or old, as long as not rotten.



This is the individual leaves.

[Chief]

Sorry to many pics.

this is the rope I made.






Ok I will try to get the pics up of how to know it is good to use as rope, and process of breaking it down. hopefully later tonight.

[Chief]

Break down process-

first the material will be strong you can not just pull it apart.

Her I am trying to show me pulling hard on the plant. I have also tied my hands behind my back and in front and have been unable to break thru. I don't think I have that much pansy in me either. :cool:



then once you find it a stong plant/bark you start to break material down.







Till you get to something like this, Remember that this has plant fibers on it and will fall off over time.

It is the straight piece of fiber in the pic above the others.









another post because I don't know how many pics per post.

[Chief]

Part 2-

A look at all those tiny fibers that make the rope.





All done with this pile.




the top left is waste probably go into compost. The very top is the small pieces that I will try to make thread and such, never done before so I will post my results. Middle and bottom layers the 2 longest will be put to use for general purpse rope making.


Some of the waste was becasue the leaves where just to decomposed, the best to work with is green, but I do not know how much to take to not kill the plant. I am also trying to get them to reproduce and get bigger so I am not messing with the green leaves as of yet. I know some more mature ones and I will get some green leaves off of them and show ya.

Next step will be the rope making.

[Chief]

I am sorry been a little bit work is takin it out of me.



OK after you break down your material then it is time to start making rope. I will do little parts.



get three strands that you want to start out with. This will be a good size round for general rope.



Bend your frist strand in a U shape



Second strand in a U shape, but this one a little off kilter on the tips like shown in picture. So they will not line up.



Now the third one a little off then the first and second one. Basicy a inch or two off from the other ones. this is not set in stone so it des not have to be perfect.



Ok will post next one this weekend.

[Chief]

I have not forgotten about this thread, it is just coming into the hard part. trying to explain the movement/action in making the thread with pictures. I am kind of rehearsing and how to put it into words, it is something that is a lot easier taught in person.