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Cedar bark cordage

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madcrow:
I have used the inner bark of eastern and western red cedar.  It is soft, but not as strong as dogbane or milkweed.  What I twisted up seemed to get weaker over time.

TatankaOhitika:
You need to seperate the outer bark from the inner bark as soon as you remove it . My favorite method is taking the back of a hatchet and using that to peel away the outer bark while you place tension on the inner bark , almost a pull and push effect . And soaking the inner bark in a boiled wood ash lye solution helps to loosen it up . Cedar bark isn't great for anything but general lashing and small trap parts ( think deadfalls like the pauite ) . Iv'e had luck with long branches as knot free as possible

swamp monkey:
I have had similar experiences with red cedar inner bark.  you can make cords but they can't be excessively twisted or the fibers break.  Light binding work, baskets or wicks are its best uses.  Prehistorically Natives use the cedar cordage to make sandals and slippers.  I could see that being soft and comfortable! 

BTW the inner bark of cypress trees makes a comparable cordage to red cedar.  give it a shot.

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