Welcome to Cordage Anonymous

**KerMegan** · 06-22-2011, 09:01

and here I was going to ask for the address of the surplus place.. is it too late for me?
KM(who lives just a bit south of Bedford.. if, you know, you want to ....share ..your stash? I've got some stuff to trade..)

ps.. you think rope is bad? try weaving....(rolls and hanks and skeins - string of various content and dimension everywhere.. every color..many textures...)

**johnfolsomjr** · 06-22-2011, 09:56

I still can't figure out why my fiance gets mad when I splice Amsteel on the coffee table....maybe all the razor blade marks on the furniture annoy her.....

**TadTheTinker** · 06-22-2011, 13:13

Hi, My name is Tinker, and I am a coradaholic.

Know where you are coming from!!!

**Shug** · 06-22-2011, 13:23

I received 150' of Orange Dynaglide today.... just weak am I.
I stop and pay homage to the World's Largest Ball of Twine here in Minnesota often. I weep openly.
Shug

**shumway** · 06-22-2011, 13:24

Cordaholic here.
I've had the problem for a long time. Probably 30 years or so. I can't throw out rope. string, cord, twine, line, webbing, or anything shaped like it. I manage to mostly hide the addiction but the garage is starting to get a little piled up. The lady hasn't commented yet but I know it's coming.

**SteelerNation** · 06-22-2011, 13:57

Hi. My name is SteelerNation. I've been just a recreational dabbler so far, but with the experimentation on different brummels and buries this weekend (plus my in-transit line orders), I fear that I might have been spliced into an addict

Are there brummel houses out there . . .

Fear the gateway knots. . .

SN

**caddoguy** · 06-22-2011, 14:23

Oh no Brothers and Sisters it can be worse! Yes being controlled by cordage is a heavy burden. But I have stepped to an even lower form of cordage degradation. I've been making it! Ok so I said it it’s out there and I can't take it back. I feel slight lighter now although still somewhat ashamed.
It started out the usual way... twisting some fibers together to learn a primitive skill. You know: Plant fiber, cotton ball, something to do a short demo..... Then addiction just subtly set in. If I used a napkin or paper towel I'd twist a small rope from it, people thought it was cute; further enabling and emboldened me. Then I'd engage in such sociopathic behavior such as twisting a functional lariat from tissue paper that Christmas presents were wrapped in. I wasn't even hiding it anymore I’d brazenly twisted that rope in front of the whole family of in-laws even as they derided me for such useless strange behavior. I just kept hand twisting those strands in defiance till my 8-10 foot rope of shame was complete.
Then I hit a bipolar cordage disorder phase. Making rope from something as pragmatic as plastic grocery sacks. (they make excellent cordage). I’d delude myself, thinking I was doing the Planet a favor. Then I’d switch polarities to weird stuff such as collecting the long wool like hair from my wife's dog and twisting a nice cord from it. Then in one manic episode taking the combings she had discarded from her Jersey wooly rabbit and twisting a lanyard for its brush.
Then I crossed the line. I never really saw it coming. Yes, I started pushing. Yep, my wife who works in activities at a nursing home asked me if I knew how totwist rope by machine. It’s amazing what we can hide from those so close to us. I said yes, and went to the shed and brought out the little demon of a cordage twister. It was covered with dust and mostly unused. I had used it recreationally many years before; but now I was going to inflict the elderly with my addiction since one of the men had requested rope twisting as an activity.
So I went with the little homemade twister made of cheap wood and clothes hangers bent for spinning hooks, and a swivel snap as traveler and piece of card board for a rope spreading tool. I know only other cordage making addicts will understand the names of the tools of this evil trade.
The day with the elderly was a success. They loved seeing the strands twist tight and come together in rope form, and I let them enjoy it. If other are hooked it sort of diminished my own depravity and enslavement.
At this point I had moved from user, to pusher, and now to Kingpin. I bought up old antique rope machines. I made a great traveler (takes up the slack as the rope is twisted and allows it to turn as the strands form into cordage). This traveler has various weights, pulley, swivel and wheels. I stored up fibers not telling my wife what large quantities I was hording.
I am now indoctrinating others into this dark art. Turning out more product then ever when I was just twisting by hand. Now I laundering the dark craft by using it for seemingly respectable uses. Such as helping the elderly use my rope machines for making dog leashes for the local animal shelter; you know trying to keep a respectable appearance.
It’s been a crazy ride down this winding road of twisted fibers. I know I can helped…. But do I really want it. What 12 step program for cordage manufacturing addiction, (C.M.A.) would even work on a person who loves to twist the fibers. I’ll keep you posted; think of me… and please try to learn from my cautionary tale.

**caddoguy** · 06-22-2011, 14:43

I have given respect to the great ball since my youth..... but it's in Cawker City Kansas.
http://www.kansastravel.org/balloftwine.htm Keep up the good work Shug.

**ewok** · 06-22-2011, 14:45

I received 200 feet of 7/64 amsteel blue the other day. Innocently enough I made my first set of Whoopies for my ENO single nest. Then made two more stes for my other single nest and my double nest. Then, I made two nacra biners. Then a knife lanyard. I have about one hundred feet left in my back pack. It is mocking me. Daring me to make something else. But I must resist, I have a 180' hank of zing it being delivered today.