Why don't Sisal and Manila burn as easily as Jute?

Sisal, Manila and Jute are all natural cords. Jute burns so rapidly, it almost flashes, but Sisal and Manila don't burn anywhere as easily. Am I doing something wrong? Why don't Sisal and Manila burn as easily as Jute?

Thank you in advance,
Xavier

IIRC, natural fiber ropes are sometimes treated with a borax solution for fire and insect resistance. You might get a better result if you wash and dry the rope first.

You also will likely see a difference in the burn based on the size of the rope fibers. A finer fiber will burn faster than a courser fiber.

Sisal, manila, and Jute are three different materials. The only thing they have in common is long fibers suitable for cordage. Given the very small diameter of jute fibers compares to Sisal or Manila, you can expect it to burn much better.

Sisal and Manila fibers are both stiff, large diameter fibers. Sisal is from the leaves of the Agave Sisalana plant in Central and South America. Manila is from the leaves of the Abaca banana tree of Philippines, Ecuador, and Costa Rica.

Jute is a very soft, small diameter fiber. Jute fiber comes from the stem and outer skin of the jute plant in Asia Minor. It fuzzes up almost like a cotton ball.

I made a length of cable laid (3 cords, each of 3 strands, each of 3 yarns) Jute rope out of garden twine, and it was softer and more supple then nylon rope and as fuzzy as a wool blanket. My Manila ropes were neither soft, supple, or fuzzy. Sisal was even more so.

I must admit I've never understood the fascination with jute as tinder. I've never had any success with it, and it seems too much trouble. I'd simply use a cotton ball given the choice. JMHO.

Jute is a multi tasker.It is a cordage and a tinder all in one.

BOATMAN
John

I suspect it is a protective coating as mentioned earlier in this thread.


A little - or maybe way - off topic, but noticing that Mark R is from southern California ... given the current dry conditions can you even practice fire starting there? That would be frustrating to me.

"Current" dry conditions?

California is, by definition, semi-arid desert. It's never really "wet season" there.

You just have to be careful and not do it someplace with lots of tinder sitting around. Front driveway, on dirt if you're camping, etc.

Hey Boatman.

Cotton balls for tinder and paracord for cordage. Jutte just sounds like too much effort. JMHO

I've had success with both.

Cotton ball with vaseline takes about 30 seconds to plump up to readily take a spark. Just make the fibers nice and fluffy and you are good to go.

Jute takes much more processing. For me, jute works well after taking a length of jute, cut into short segments, separate out each fiber individually and then scrunch it over and over until a softball size (or larger) tinder bundle is present with the finest fluff placed in the center. I would guesstimate this takes 10 minutes or so.

Jute definitely takes more effort.

yee

I've never used petroleum balls to catch a spark,' I've always used a lighter or matches with them. I've used sparks on plain cotton balls. Now I've taken to injecting semi liquid vaseline into the center of cotton balls with a 22 gauge needle. It works very well, no messy, and plenty of surface material to catch tiny sparks, with fuel inside. have yet to use one under harsh conditions but has never failed in our testing.
I hadn't tried to fluff the jutte I worked with so that's probably why I've never had success. Thanks for the instructional.

The only tinder that I've used under "harsh" conditions was Coghlan's emergency tinder, and that was to get a buddy burner going in the middle of an alluvial fan with a steady 10 knot wind. I don't remember if I uses a ferrorod/magnesium block or a windproof/waterproof match to get it going.

For that matter, I have a Sawzall/hacksaw adapter in my kit with a number of blades (When I'm not borrowing it for home maintenance). A ferrorod/mag block would pair well with that as an additional means of fire starting.