Well, it's taken me almost a year but I've finally finished THIS:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Homecraft-2-5-Twine-Sisal-Ball/dp/B01IPLZR1M/ref=pd_sim...

That is a 2.5kg football sized ball of sisal containing ~750m of twine. If using 35m for each sling that's over 21 slings!

Since I've just used the last of it now, it seems a fitting time to reflect on it as probably my favourite natural material.

For me sisal has to be soaked in water to make nice feeling slings (though thinner slings can survive without). This completely removes any 'stiffness' from the cords leaving them remarkably pliable (I couldn't believe it first time I did it).

One potential problem is that soaking sisal can introduce an undesirable amount of stretch into the cords. To minimize this you can dry the sling under stretch, or wrap it round a cylinder tightly (I use a foam roller) I've found this significantly reduces stretch.

Sisal is famously rough on hands, so I also heavily recommend a leather lined fingerloop for maximum comfort.

What do you get for all this effort?

Well, your sling is not gonna break anytime fast for one. That's probably why I like it so much. Aside from general durability- If your sling is built for cracking sisal will outlast most natural fibres which disintegrate in no time at all.

Disadvantages-
-Your hands won't like you initially
-Only one colourscheme
-Slings can be a bit 'springy' I find it a nice feel but some might not

Time to order another football 

There's a massive difference after soaking them. I've done it with my cotton string slings to help take out twists in the cords and it helps a bit but sisal is like a different material after it's soaked.

The sisal slings I've seen are all very nice looking. It has a unique look to it, both tough and supple. When I've used the cheap hardware store sisal it has a strange petroleum like smell and doesn't seem to get softer after soaking. Ive tried untwisting it to get nice long fibers to work with but it just ends up being a mess. I must be doing something wrong.

Morphy wrote on Jan 27^th, 2018 at 12:51pm:



All my cordage has this smell, but sisal the most. I also tried untwisting it and using the fibres but like you it didnt work.
The cordage from hardware stores is processed in shady factories where the machine oil drips into it, at least that's what I read. The alternative would be ordering it from somewhere reputable or even harvesting yourself. But what I like to do is buy a lot of hemp, sisal when I get the chance and then store them somewhere dry and in the summer in the hot sun. After a year the smell is almost completely gone.

I am ordering a sling from Luis at the moment and I don't think their fibre is treated like that. I will see how his environmentally friendly sling compares to mine when I get it

I went through Aurelio's tutorial on making an authentic Balearic sling, here they also soak it in water.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO4ERyUXdYU

After seeing this I have a lot more respect for real Balearic sling makers. DAMN that is a lot of work. My simple 3-strand braid closed-pouch slings are nothing compared to this. This is on another level.

JudoP wrote on Jan 28^th, 2018 at 12:49pm:



I made my first 5 strand-braid sisal sling today, so far my best imitation of a real Balearic sling yet. No leather or anything yet though. Right now it's soaking in water, I will post a pic tomorrow in the picture thread.

Solvent, oil or whatever, it's not a nice smelling chemical. Luckily my sisal stash is quite old and almost has zero smell anymore.

I would not even store the sisal I buy from hardware stores in the same room I live in as the volatile gasses from items like that add up and fill the room, can't be healthy if you spend so much time in the same room. The new sisal here really has as strong odor. But I am a bit paranoid when it comes to stuff like that.

It's amazing isn't it? I don't know the science behind it but there must be something going on.

JudoP wrote on Jan 31^st, 2018 at 3:52pm:



That's a lot of sisal right there. Do you still have most of your sisal slings JudoP? I was thinking it would be interesting to put them in chronological order and see your improvements over time.