Quick and Easy Cordage

Here is a pretty easy way to make some quick cordage to use if out in the woods. This could be used to hold a bundle of limbs, lash poles together, etc. It would not be for something requiring great strength.

This is just made of strips of Elm bark, from smaller saplings or limbs, braided together. It must be from the younger saplings or limbs, because of the smooth nature of the younger bark. Other trees would probably work also; young willow comes to mind. Elm bark strips of pretty easily when it is freshly cut.

I made this a couple of years ago, and did not think to take pictures in progress. I had trimmed an Elm tree, took the limbs, that were from about 1" diameter to 2" diameter; then just took my pocket knife and started cutting strips about1/4" wide or so. When started, you should be able to just peel it off by hand, down the length of the limb. You can make the cord as long as you want, by splicing in additional pieces as you go. To do this, you should stagger the strips, so that a new pieces spliced in is always started from a different point.

I just braided these, as that is very quick and easy. If you do not know how to braid, there are probably online pictorials that can help. You basically just keep alternately wrapping one piece over the next to the middle; using three pieces. There are other ways to make cordage, from plant or bark fiber, that will produce a stronger cord; using the "reverse wrap" method. There are lots of online resources for that if interested. What I am discussing, is just a quick and easy shortcut.


The cord pictures is about 5 feet long; and I did splice in pieces as I went to get that length. After a couple of
years, it is not as flexible as it was when fresh, but could still be used to tie a bundle together. It would not be strong in tension.

Give it a try and have fun with it.