Handmade Ropes by Lahtnor
The Philosophy
I have always loved to use my hands. In my early years I started playing the guitar, which then grew to starting rebuilding and taking care of different instruments. The same approach came to pass regarding ropes. At first I used what ropes I could find and eventually trying to get a hold of better quality natural fiber ropes. My problem was that it lacked quality. The lay and hardness was always to stiff and did not resonate well with my way of tying. Regular rope is usually made for boats and crafting not for the human body.
So I set out to learn about the way to create ropes. How the yarns functioned and what would happen to a rope once it was made, tweaking all kinds of things for different outcomes.
Eventually after many trials and errors with miles of yarn I became good at it.
I only use the rope I make myself, and what I aim for is a light rope that has a good bite and handles fast for my way of tying. Living up to the precision needed in my performances and long workshops. Ropes that are a safe tool that I can rely on for me to use on my models since my utmost focus is on their safety.
During my travels all over the world my rope friends started to take notice of my ropes,. The ropes needed to perform highly both on stage and in workshops. It started to attract other professional rope users to the quality of my work.
I started selling rope and making them for other performers, my closest friends and for anyone who craved a high level of craftsmanship. These ropes are the next level, ready to be compared to a skillfully painted canvas which catches the eye of the beholder. To a sports car, which is fine tuned in every tiny aspect that a generic production could never compare to.
Several years later I have honed my skills even more and added onto that a consistency in the excellence of making sure every rope has the love and care that it deserves to be used by like minded rope people all over the world.
The Process
I make one rope at a time in my home in Sweden using only high quality single ply jute yarn that gets twisted together into a 3 ply rope. I can make anything up to 12,5 meters long and up to 10 mm thick. My own go to standard is 6mm thick and around 7.5 meters long.
The process of making the rope and treating it is long and strenuous, Rope making is my alone time that to me has become like a ceremony. There I can deep dive into my own mind as the rope slowly comes alive. In contrast to other ropes, mine does not contain any JBO (jute batching oils) which most other jute ropes contain. These oils are added when yarn is made to make sure their machines does not get damaged. 15 to 20% of the weight of these ropes contain these harmful oils. The strong smell of petroleum is a clear indicator that your rope contains JBO.
These oils can also cause allergic reactions and in some cases by prolonged exposure creates rashes and other bad skin irritations.
My ropes does not contain these oils, only the natural fibers, free from harmful substances.
After the rope is freshly made: it is stretched, polished and passed through fire all by hand.
Finally I massage the ropes using a fine homemade blend of wax and oils (jojobaoil & shea butter) to strengthen the rope and reduce friction in the fibers.
Not only does it add life and flow to the ropes but it will also makes them smell lovely.
All of this is key to create a rope that does not compromise with quality and it takes many days to complete.
It is a precision craftsmanship that cannot be automated.
The pictures above of my ropes is examples of some of my creations, if you can dream up your perfect rope set I will make my utmost to create it for you.
The Result
Some ropes that I offer.
Natural jute, Colored jute, Partially colored jute, 2 colored jute, Tricolore (using predyed yarns in each ply,) custom ropes include UV ropes, Glitter ropes and many more crazy ideas. Please ask for any questions regarding custom sets.
My standard rope size s approx 7,5m/6mm I can make anything up to 12.5meters/10mm per rope
Prices per rope
Natural 250sek
Colored 350sek two colored 400sek
Tricolore & Gemstone 450sek
Custom order: ask for price
Rope wax in a jar 150sek
International Shipping 140-280sek
Please note that when ordering colored, two colored and partially colored ropes I require a minimum order of 6 ropes per color. (single ropes can be ordered of these but only based on what's in stock. Message me to see what's currently avaliable)
1-4 weeks production time on full sets
For ordering and more info please contact me
Sincerely Lahtnor
Disclaimer
Rope is an organic product that should be treated with care and respect in order for you to lengthen it's lifespan.
It is important to understand that my ropes should not be handled without care as you could damage the rope.
This involves improper rope handling with excessive rope on rope pulling, hard angles and high stranding from pulling on a separate ply in the rope.
My ropes come basic treated by me as described above. How often you treat your ropes is a matter of personal preference. but after some time of use, they may need a little love when they start to feel dry. Take some wax and rub in your hand. pull the rope through your hand so that the fibers can soak up the wax. Then place the rope for 5 minutes in an 80C/176F oven. Then take and pull the ropes quickly over a gas flame to lock in the wax and burn off the worn fiber ends over the length of the rope. My advice is to never let the rope dry out as lack of treatment oils/wax will cause more friction and damage the fiber.
A regular natural fiber rope made for usage on boats and the like is a very hard rope that is made to last through excessive wear and tear that is not present during rope play on human bodies. My ropes are precisely crafted to create a unique sensation during rope play and will last a a very long time with the proper care and rope technique. These are skills that I teach my students in order for them to get the most out of their ropes.