On this week’s Knot of the Week, we’re going to look at an interesting knot called the Poldo Tackle. Using two simple fixed loops, the Poldo Tackle affords you multiple options for anything that requires a tensioning device.
The most applicable use we’ve considered is in a rescue situation, where you might need the mechanical advantage to lift a buddy to safety. There are far better methods to lower someone in a rescue situation, but the Poldo Tackle would work well to aid in lifting. Just remember that it’s not the same type of application for lifting that pulleys would provide.
You could also use this knot for a clothesline, guyline or anywhere you may need to release or provide tension periodically to a line under load. [Read More…]
In this week’s Knot of the Week we’ll teach you how to tie the Frost Knot and form a length of tubular webbing into an Etrier, which is a French word meaning stirrup. In climbing, an Etrier is often referred to as an aider or a climbing ladder.
While hard to pronounce, the Etrier is an easy to tie and very effective way of creating a ladder to reach heights when climbing or in an emergency situation.
With a little practice, you can trust in your skills and know that you too will be able to simply carry some tubular webbing into the field and create a field expedient climbing ladder if needed. [Read More…]
A bottle sling? What, you’ve never heard of a bottle sling before? We’ll admit we’ve seen them before but never give them much thought to include in the Knot of the Week until we tied one and realized how versatile of a knot it is!
From what we can tell, the bottle sling was first used by ancient greeks to not only carry jugs and bottles, but to also use as a surgical sling and as a traction device for dislocated joints. [Read More…]
After a winter slumber the Knot of the Week is back in full force! Today with the help of contributing author Justin Spindler, we’re going to take you though the steps to create your own Coiled Paracord Lanyard.
You may have seen these before from places like TAD and wished you would have gotten in on one while you could have. Now you can learn how to build your own out of a few simple materials. [Read More…]
Today’s Knot of the Week builds on our first example of a Japanese Square Lashing, with the Japanese MK II.
While the Japanese are known for their intricate knot work on bamboo structures, we feel you’ll see the benefit in the time saved using these lashings. They’re truly faster than traditional lashings you may have learned in Boy Scouts.
The demonstration we’ve provided in our photos and video below show the Japanese MK II being tied with Paracord, but it’s always best to use natural fiber rope when working with timbers or spars. [Read More…]
You may be saying to yourself, “You guys have already covered Square Lashing before!” That we have, but today we’d like to introduce you to an alternate way to tie lashings called the Japanese Square Lashing.
This method we’ll show is tremendously faster to tie and yields the same secure results that a traditional Square Lashing does. In addition to being faster, we feel that it’s also an easier way to lash together two spars/poles.
If you’ve ever looked at traditional Japanese architecture, you’ll have no doubt seen a Japanese Square Lashing. The traditional Japanese culture has always favored using natural fiber rope to secure bamboo structures and many other architectural wonders.
We’re so certain that you’ll appreciate the simplicity of this lashing, you may never go back to using a Clove Hitch to start a lashing again! [Read More…]
In today’s Knot of the Week, I’ll show you such a simple way to create a Rope Ladder, you’ll wonder how you never knew about it!
That’s the way I felt when I was shown this technique at Boy Scout Adult Leadership training I attended this past weekend. I’ve lashed together a Rope Ladder before, but never with this simple of a technique!
What you’ll see is a field expedient way to quickly throw together a ladder in a rescue situation or to complete the final touches on a Pioneering project. A truly a versatile technique that you should throw into your knotty toolbox. [Read More…]
This isn’t a bracelet to relive the 80s, simply a different take on the standard Solomon Bar Paracord Bracelet that resembles a DNA strand.
Funny enough, this knot is what happens when you don’t tie a standard Solomon Bar, or a Cobra Knot for some of you out there, the right way. You’re left with a twisted pattern that actually makes a neat design.
We wanted to not only highlight the Twisted Solomon Bar with this week’s Knot of the Week, but to also demonstrate an alternative method of closure on a paracord bracelet with a loop and Lanyard Knot. This closure can be used for any type of paracord bracelet. [Read More…]
Making a Fast Rope for Climbing has certainly been a fun project to undertake for our Knot of the Week!
Today we’ll be demonstrating the last steps in completing your rope, which are whipping and fusing the bitter end. Whipping and Fusing are traditionally methods to prevent a rope from unraveling and to stop fraying. We’re essentially using these techniques in the same way on our Fast Rope, to strengthen and protect the end.
The reason we chose to terminate the Fast Rope in this fashion is that in reading the Mil-Spec for Fast Rope construction, it distinctly mentions that “The free end shall be seared and whipped.” Seared is just another word for fused and fusing is actually the proper terminology. [Read More…]
Today on our Knot of the Week, we’re going to continue our Fast Rope construction with a demonstration of a 4-Strand Eye Splice.
On a previous KOTW we’ve shown how to create a 3-Strand Eye Splice, and while this may appear similar these are two very different techniques.
The Eye Splice is the strongest and safest method of terminating a Fast Rope (4-Strand Round Braid). It develops approximately 85% of the breaking strength of the line, which as we’ve mentioned is right around 28,000+ lbf (pound force) or 129 Kn (kilonewtons) with the 4 pairs of 7/16″ Blue Water Assaultline Static Rope used in construction.
An Eye Splice also enables the rope to be girth hitched onto a beam to climb. Traditionally in Military Fast Ropes, the eye splice is used to attach to the davits found on some helicopters. [Read More…]
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