Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Posted by Unknown at 6:03 AM
notes for campcraft:

[stopper knots]

1. Thumb knot.
It is used as a handhold and stopper. For instance, it is tied at regular intervals of lifelines to prevent the rope from slipping through the hands.
Once tied and put under strain, it is difficult to untie.

2. Figure-of-eight knot.
Compared to thumb knot, when it is tied under stress, it is much easier to untie.


[loop knots]
3. Bowline.
The bowline does not jam or slip easily, despite under severe strain.
It may not hold, if very rigid or slippery knots are used. For extra security, we can tie a stopper knot or 2 half hitches around the loop
It is used in lifesaving and rescue work.
It is used to secure a rope to a ring or eye.
It is used in building tentages, for securing the twine to the sleeve ring.

[bends]
4. Reef knot.
It is used for parcel tying as well as First Aid bandaging because it is flat and easy to tie.
Compared to other bends, it is not secure as it comes undone easily.


5. Fisherman's knot.
It is made of 2 sliding thumb knots, which will lock with each other when strain is applied.
It applies in joining ropes together, especially those of small and equal diameters.


[shortening formation]
6. Sheepshank.
It shortens ropes without cutting them.
It is also used to bypass worn section by placing the damaged section in the centre of the knot. It will thus, not be under the strain.
The half hitches at the two ends will ensure that when there is no strain, the knot undo itself easily.

7. Slip knot.
It is used in tying male cadet bootlaces and shortening long ropes.


[hitches]
8. Clove hitch.
Made from 2 half hitches, it can secure a rope to an object. For example, it is used to start and anchor rope obstacles.


[lashings]
1. Square lashing.
Square lashing is used to tie two spars together, right angles apart from each other.
Ropes must go in front and behind original line on alternate poles.
Large structures, like benches or tables, can be built with a combination of square and diagonal lashings.

1. Start with tying a clove hitch on a spar. Wind the rope alternatively on the 2 spars
2. Tie about 4-5 before making around a spar frapping
3. Frap between the spars for 3-4 rounds
4. End with clove hitch


2. Round lashing.
Starts with clove hitch tied around both spars/poles, and ends with clove hitch tied around both spars/poles as well.
It is used to bind 2 spars together.
Commonly used in erecting flagpole.


3. Diagonal lashing.
The lashing is used to tie spars together at angles than right angle.
Timber hitch is done on larger angle while turns are done on the smaller angle.
Large structures can be built with a combination of square and diagonal lashings.

1. Start by tying a timber hitch across spars
2. Make a few turns across the spars. Make a turn around a spar, before continuing to wind across the spars at different direction
3. Frap between the spars
4. End with a clove hitch



4. Gyn lashing.
This lashing can be used to create stands (tripod) with at least 3 legs.

1. Start with a clove hitch.
2. Wind rope alternatively across the spars.
3. Make a turn about a first or last spar, before frapping.
4. End with a clove hitch.


5. Shear lashing.
Starts with clove hitch tied on one spar/pole, and ends with a clove hitch on the other.
Similar to round lashing, it also binds 2 spars together.
However, it is also used to holds the spars when using crooked spars.
When the spars are opened out, it acts as a shear leg to peg structures up as well as 'A' frames in pioneering projects.


all the best for campcraft ! :D
`jingwen.