String.

[jansman]

Been clearing bean and pea fences today. I grow all sorts of the legumes for drying, so I have about 300 sticks. They need tying in bundles. That takes string. I ran out!!!!!

That has never happened in a quarter century of owning a house how did that happen to 'Mr. Prepared'?

This is a prep item that is as important as any other you may name IMO. I went to town to pick some up this PM. along with other bits and bobs. I forgot!!!
So don't underestimate something as simple as string, you realise that when you have none!

[Quercus-robur]

That's a good point. I imagine most of us have some paracord in our BOBs and many of us will know of sources of natural cordage in the event of a SHTF scenario. In my opinion it is probably overlooked, having cordage in a Bug In scenario. We all are aware of the need for water, food, sleeping equipment, sanitation and basic cooking facilities. Like with the string, though, I bet there is a variety of everyday things that we wont even consider until we can no longer get them at the shops and we run out of them.

Qr

[poppypiesdad]

Best thing to is buy a pack of baler twine , there's something stupid like 1500m in a pack , and almost every farm is held together with baler twine , personally i prefer the blue , but orange is available .

J

[ForgeCorvus]

Got chain, rope (hawserlaid and braid), builder's rope, paracord,2 inch and 1 inch synthetic webbing, 2 inch hemp webbing, jute sash cord (some of which is now slowmatch), baler twine (about half a roll left),soft steel wire, cotton cord, cotton twine, cotton string, hemp twine, jute twine, Dacron B-50 (black and white), wire-leader, fishing line (14lb and 5lb test....I think), linen thread, button thread, heavy duty handsewing thread and machine sewing threads (assorted colours)

Tieing things together is not a problem......... Having stupid quantities of assorted stringy stuff might be


Part of a Christmas present my parents gave my brother and SIL was a tin of string (they just started allotmenting)

I've got a book on primative technology, one item in there is a carry net. It took 4 hours to make..... and about 40 to make the cordage to make it

[jansman]

To be fair, I do have hemp twine for making pursenets for my beloved ferreting. But it is kept for just that-netmaking.

[Arzosah]

Great thread

[TwoDo]

So don't underestimate something as simple as string, you realise that when you have none!

A very good point.

I would like to also recommend getting in a New Zealand flax plant or two. The leaves of these plants are long, extremely strong and have been used since forever by the Maori for weaving and tying things together. They make excellent, biodegradable, plant ties. New Zealand Flax is commonly available in the UK as a decorative plant and is perennial, extremely hardy and easy to propagate by root division (like rhubarb). Once you know what to look for you will probably see them everywhere in peoples gardens.

Plant a couple New Zealand Flax plants at the bottom of the garden and you will always have something you can use to tie stuff together.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flax_in_New_Zealand

[jansman]

Great thread

I got it!