Hemp! Worth the cost?

[ender1818]

I have been looking at some hemp rope online and I am wondering if it is worth the additional cost.

I'm not a professional by any means, just like tying my Little One up from time to time and so far nylon rope that I can find at any hardware store has been sufficient. I dyed some and it adds some nice color, but I am beginning to wonder if purchasing some hemp may be good.

What do you guys think? Love to hear your thoughts!

Here is a link to some of my handywork

 

[Homburg]

Depends.

Hemp is a different animal from nylon in many ways. If you are doing suspension, or resistance play, hemp is a FAR better choice than nylon. Insofar as suspension is concerned, hemp is stronger. For both suspension and resistance/eel play, hemp stretches far less than nylon.

Hemp also has a better bite, meaning it hold knots better. This can be both a plus and a minus depending. It also has a different tactile feel, produces different ropemarks, and has a smell, unlike nylon. These are aesthetic concerns that matter to some.

Personally, I use all sorts of different rope in different situations. Each type has its' plusses and minuses. Hemp is sturdy stuff, but takes more care than nylon (everything but MFP takes more care and upkeep than nylon), and is obviously more expensive. That said, you can by untreated hemp in bulk and treat it yourself, and the monetary cost is only a bit more than nylon at that point. It is an load of work to treat it though, so be prepared to put in some time.

If you click the link in my sig you should be able to find a link to one of the posts in my thread where I discuss the characteristics of various types of ropes. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.

 

[ender1818]

Depends.

Hemp is a different animal from nylon in many ways. If you are doing suspension, or resistance play, hemp is a FAR better choice than nylon. Insofar as suspension is concerned, hemp is stronger. For both suspension and resistance/eel play, hemp stretches far less than nylon.

Hemp also has a better bite, meaning it hold knots better. This can be both a plus and a minus depending. It also has a different tactile feel, produces different ropemarks, and has a smell, unlike nylon. These are aesthetic concerns that matter to some.

Personally, I use all sorts of different rope in different situations. Each type has its' plusses and minuses. Hemp is sturdy stuff, but takes more care than nylon (everything but MFP takes more care and upkeep than nylon), and is obviously more expensive. That said, you can by untreated hemp in bulk and treat it yourself, and the monetary cost is only a bit more than nylon at that point. It is an load of work to treat it though, so be prepared to put in some time.

If you click the link in my sig you should be able to find a link to one of the posts in my thread where I discuss the characteristics of various types of ropes. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.

Homburg, I think you are my new best friend! That is a wealth of information! I know what I'm doing for the rest of the evening!

Thanks a ton!

 

[Homburg]

Quite welcome. I hope it's useful to you.

 

[ender1818]

absolutely and the ropework you have done with Viv has given me some more ideas!

Please visit the link below and let me know what you think of my work last night.

 

[myinnerslut]

absolutely and the ropework you have done with Viv has given me some more ideas!

Please visit the link below and let me know what you think of my work last night.

what link?

 

[Homburg]

I would assume that you're talking about the corset. I liked the use of colour, though I personally prefer thinner ropes. Not by a lot (those look to be 3/8" inch?). I prefer 1/4" (aka 6mm) as it turns more easily, takes knots better, and is more capable of intricate work than the thicker 3/8" or 1/2". It's all personal preference though.

 

[ender1818]

what link?

Either the link in the first post or the link in my signature

here you go...

----> here <----

 

[ender1818]

I would assume that you're talking about the corset. I liked the use of colour, though I personally prefer thinner ropes. Not by a lot (those look to be 3/8" inch?). I prefer 1/4" (aka 6mm) as it turns more easily, takes knots better, and is more capable of intricate work than the thicker 3/8" or 1/2". It's all personal preference though.

I actually like the thicker rope. The twisted rope that I currently have makes a pretty good knot and I have to be honest. The best part is the rope marks that are left! Nothing like enjoying her tied up and then untying her and cuddling up with those beautiful rope marks showing! Yum!

I dyed those ropes myself! just a bit of nylon rope and some Rit dye. I was pretty happy with the red, the gray was supposed to be a dark blue, but didn't take as well.

 

[Homburg]

I've used Rit dyes myself. As I prefer solid braid when using synthetics, they're usually nylon/poly blend. I work to make sure that it is nylon heavy, but it's blended nonetheless. In the end, it makes for a more stable, stronger rope, so I don't mind. The down side is that poly does not take dye. This ends up with some interesting combos. I dyed some rope for MIS that was purple, and the poly parts came out a light silver. Makes for a cool looking rope. I've done black, and had the poly come out gold, and that looked fantastic.

Twisted stuff like you use is for low-strength applications, so it is usually all nylon. This means it takes the dye well. The blues are weird though, so I'm not surprised that you had issues with it. Hemp takes dye amazingly well, which is another good selling point for it.

 

[ZoeBird]

What does your partner prefer? I personally don't like the feel of nylon rope against my bare skin.

 

[ender1818]

Well, nylon is all we have used, that's one of the reasons I asked the original question.

 

[Homburg]

Well, tactile-wise, twisted nylon is some of the softest rope out there. Cotton is probably the closest. Hemp is not soft, and thus feels quite different. It's not hard and rough like the poly you see at the hardware store, but it is not soft rope. I've been told by a couple of bottms that they feel more secure in the hemp because it feels stronger.

 

[ender1818]

Well I love the feel of my rope in my hands and I think part of the reasons that I am asking about hemp is to get a feel for the rope.

I ordered one of Monk's sample packs so I will make the decision after that.

Thanks for all the input folks!

 

[Homburg]

Well I love the feel of my rope in my hands and I think part of the reasons that I am asking about hemp is to get a feel for the rope.

I ordered one of Monk's sample packs so I will make the decision after that.

Thanks for all the input folks!

I didn't even think of that. Odd, as I helped a friend overseas get one of Monk's sample packs, so you'd think I would've thought about it.

Monk is basically the industry standard. His stuff is great, and his dyes are incredible. I purchased some of his 4mm in purple last year, and it is fantastic stuff. It was perfect for the project that I used it for, and I would have no problem buying more rope from Monk (assuming I wasn;t going to process it myself, of course)

 

[ender1818]

I didn't even think of that. Odd, as I helped a friend overseas get one of Monk's sample packs, so you'd think I would've thought about it.

Monk is basically the industry standard. His stuff is great, and his dyes are incredible. I purchased some of his 4mm in purple last year, and it is fantastic stuff. It was perfect for the project that I used it for, and I would have no problem buying more rope from Monk (assuming I wasn;t going to process it myself, of course)

Well I listen to Greydancer's podcast who is of course sponsored by Twisted Monk so that's the first place I went for Hemp rope.

I'm looking forward to getting my samples. His colors are very vivid online!