Cordage - Roots

Certain roots, such as spruce, make excellent cordage. You don't even have to twist them together -- just use them as is, or split them into halves or quarters.

This photo shows a spruce root that has just been extracted from the ground.

The roots are found close to the ground surface (up to about 6" down), and usually extend outwards from the tree in a fairly straight line.

You can often find roots several feet in length.

Traditionally they have been used to "sew" together birch bark, as in birch bark canoes, wigwams, baskets, etc.

Here is a photo of a spruce root being split in half. Each half can then be used on its own.

It takes a little bit of practice to split spruce roots. If you're not careful, one side will thin out into nothing and break off, leaving you with a short piece of cordage.

The trick is to split the halves apart slowly, and if you notice one side becoming a bit thinner, simply pull more on that side. This pulls more of the root into that half, and evens it out. This may not make a lot of sense to you until you try it.