I was reading about making gut strings for stringed instruments where it mentioned that a sheep has about 30 yards of it. 90 Ft. would make alot of cordage.

Has anyone heard of how to field prosess animal small intestine for the use of cordage? Possably along the line of brain tanning the hide?

Salt was the only preserative that I have read about so far but in a survival situation, I doubt one would have much salt on them.

There is an article devoted to making gutstring in a backissue of WILDERNESS WAY magazine www.wwmag.net by Rev. Hooker. I believe the issue is still available for order. Very briefly, rawhide and raw gut are just that; skin or intestine that has had the hair removed and the fatty tissues scraped away. It is subject to drying out, shrinking and becoming very stiff. Sometimes we want this, as in making a traditional western saddletree, sinew backed bows or lashing a projectile point to a shaft. It can be further tanned later, or made pliable with applications of greases, such as those used on fine reata ropes and jaquimas. One final advantage; you can always eat the stuff in extreme duress. Sort of makes grasshoppers and grubs more palatable <img src="images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> Postscript: Doug has several "primative" websites listed in our links full of information on the subject. I can only add one more insight. If you want to experiment with rawhide, DO NOT walk into a feedstore and complain about not finding any. The pretty little "Buckle Bunnie" behind the register started throwing those huge rawhide bones for dogs at me <img src="images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> Just take a few home and soak in water until pliable <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />.

It all depends. Around the Channel Islands, there is plenty of salt, a veritable ocean, in fact.

I don't know the precise answer to your question, but I hope some gutsy person will step forth and inform us...Interesting topic. <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />