How To Process Milkweed For Cordage Making: Hands Only

Verbal & visual demonstration. Common milkweed plant fibers make a pretty good cordage that is strong enough to power a bow drill with. The longer the plant fibers are, the less splicing that you will need to do when making your cordage, which entails a stronger cordage. You can also easily split the plant fibers lengthwise & pull them apart to make them as thin as you need for your application before twisting them into cordage.
Milkweed is the main food source for the monarch butterfly caterpillar so I always keep that in mind whenever harvesting. I manage the field at my home for deer hunting & gathered 5 milkweed plants for this video before I had to mow in that area. This plant grows in the larger areas that I leave alone & I always leave more than I take. Please make sure that you always harvest responsibly.

[@abcstardust]

Thank you for this well-made video on making cordage from the Milkweed!!

[@joshrobsonwildcache]

You’re welcome & thank you!

[@WayPointSurvival]

Thanks for the video, my friend!

[@joshrobsonwildcache]

👍🏼😀

[@nomadichunter2818]

I usually make cordage from dried grass. Can be made in the early spring or late fall. Maybe even in winter if you find enough (needs to be dry). Never tried Milkweed, gotta try.

[@loriekaczmarek9788]

Grass works pretty good for lashing stuff. Especially that razor grass stuff that cuts you. But milkweed, nettles, dogbane, and skinny elm roots make the strongest cordage . Very much like hemp. Except it's kind of hard to find hemp anymore . I've even used giant burdock fibres to make a decent strength cordage.

[@neesbushcraft]

Good video, Josh!

[@joshrobsonwildcache]

Thank you!

[@docv73]

The buds and pods are DELICIOUS!!! It breaks my heart to see this wasted while making cordage. 😞 Drop them into boiling water for 1 minute, then saute in butter. It'll change your life. 😁

[@ProcrastinationHypno]

I was told buds and pods in boiling water for 10, then pour off to rid toxicity. Did so . . . delicious!

[@naychakeeper]

Nice! I did this with nettles to make cordage. Did you twist them after splitting the innards from it?
Or dry it out ?

[@joshrobsonwildcache]

You can twist them either way, fresh or dried. If you’re going for looks & longevity, it’s probably better dried. Plant fibers tend to stretch a bit while drying so your twist can loosen up. However, I’ve used them for bow drill friction fire fresh & dried successfully.

[@loriekaczmarek9788]

Nice. How do you keep it from rotting with use and time? Ive used bees wax , sometimes candle wax with a little fat heated up with it for a softer wax to rub on it. Even used rendered deer tallow to good effect.

[@joshrobsonwildcache]

Yep bees wax, pine pitch or animal fats etc. can be used with.