Cordage And The Scared Dog

One of the steps in making buckskin, or hide tanning in general, is stretching the rawhide on a rack to dry. This requires large quantities of string, cordage, or other binding materials. Of course, larger hides, require larger racks and hence more cordage. You'll notice the cords still attached to the hide in the previous post.  This past fall, I used parachute cord, which is very strong and fairly inexpensive.

Over the course of the homeschool survival classes in the last year, we have made cordage a few times.  Homework from the last class was to make as long a piece as you can.  To complete the task, we were given a pile of bass wood bark strips.

So, this evening, I was sitting in the rocking chair by the woodstove working on my cordage.  I have completed about 16 feet or 5 meters, depending on your particular measuring philosophy.  It is getting to the point where it is starting to tangle, so I've wrapped it around a stick.

In time, I will supplement, or replace, all of my purchased hide working tools with primitve ones, including any cord.  I may find that it is easier to use the modern tools, but I would like to complete at least one buckskin in a completely traditional manner.  I guess that means that, at some point, I will need to learn something about making stone and bone tools.

It occurred to me while working that yarn is simply cordage made from the fur of an animal.  As luck would have it, I have a chow chow who, in the spring and fall, sheds quite prolifically.  So, wheels turning, I borrowed some fur.  The fur is pretty well attached this time of year, but she had a few loose spots.  Regardless, she did not like where this was all going.  Here is the 5.5 inches, 14 centimeters, piece that I was able to fashion. 

All will be forgiven come feeding time tomorrow.