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Abaca Twine: Two-Ply Reverse Wrap from Manila Hemp
Abaca, Manila hemp, is a banana plant whose leaf-sheath fibre is stronger than hemp and stands up to salt water, which is why ships' ropes were made of it. Its fibres are 1.8 to 3.7 metres long, so a twine twisted from them needs few splices. This twine is made by the same two-ply reverse wrap as our bark rope.
The picture: abaca fibre drying on a line among the plants, Costa Rica.
Beginner
An hour for a few metres
Instructions
1
1
Dampen and split the fibre
Dampen and split the fibre
Dip a hank of abaca fibre in water so it twists without springing back, and split off thin strands, a few fibres each.
Materials for this step:
Abaca Fibre50 g
Water1 as requiredTools needed:
Bowl2
2
Reverse-wrap it into two-ply twine
Reverse-wrap it into two-ply twine
Fold a strand bundle at its middle and reverse-wrap it as the bark rope is made: twist one ply away from you until it kinks, wrap it back over the other, and repeat. Splice in new fibre with 5 to 8 cm of overlap, never on both plies at the same point.
3
3
Finish and trim
Finish and trim
Tie an overhand knot at the end, trim the loose fibre ends close and wind the twine into a ball.
Tools needed:
Utility KnifeThis blueprint makes
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