tips on hickory bark cordage

[walkabout]

got a good bit of pignut hickory bark from some staves, saved it to make cordage and a few other things. my question is are there any tips you guys can provide for processing it? i soak the bark in hot water for awhile, then peel the inner bark off. after that i strip it into thin pieces and twist them into cordage. one definite thing i need tips on is how to better loosen the fibers. can i treat it like rawhide/leather and pull it over a table leg to loosen them? when im twisting the fibers it takes awhile because they still want to stay flat as they were peeled. i have to twist them back and forth for awhile before they really loosen up enough. also should i rub the cordage with grease or something similar to keep it soft? i know alot of newbie questions. lol, but im layed up for a few days after a procedure on my back and making cordage is about the only thing that doesnt require me to move too much.

[jamie]

never soaked it for cordage but i have hammered it with success. just took a round rock and beat it till the fibers loosened up

[walkabout]

the soaking was to remove it from the outer bark, while it helps a little bit its still not easy because i dont soak it very long, but i get it off in pretty good strips that are anywhere from an inch to 2 inches wide. after that ive seperated it into smaller pieces, and it pulls apart with tapered ends so it works pretty well. havent really tried pounding it, but getting it damp and twisting it back and forth until it will curl over itself works fairly well, just labor intensive.