Page 8 - Mario Bigon "The Morrow Guide to Knots"

cordage

cordage

Rope was one of man's first inventions, certainly predating the
wheel, and its structure has remained essentially the same for
centuries, although the advent of synthetic fibers has given it a
strength comparable, and in certain ways superior, to that of
steel.
Rope and knot are two words that go hand in hand, for one
is useless without the other; what use is a length of rope
without at least one knot in it? Up to a few decades ago, the
choice of rope was limited: hemp and manilla were used for
their strength, cotton for manageability, and sisal for
economy; but today the availability of synthetic fibers has
produced a specialized type of rope for every application,

structure

Rope is made up of fibers (a) twisted together a number of
times, each in the opposite direction to the previous one, to
form, first of all, the yarn (b). then the strands (c) and finally
the rope itself, This operation is known as laying up and
produces the classic rope generally made up of three (1) and
sometimes more strands (2), but there is another way of
producing rope, namely by braiding the yarn (3) instead of
twisting it together; with this kind of rope the outer part,
known as the sheath (e), is both a protective and an attractive
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