Back in the spring of 1976, while walking through the Mortimer L. Schiff Scout Reservation, then the BSA National Training Center, there was a memorable encounter with a tall man. Seeing the young Scouter, the tall man figuratively embraced him with a smile, warmly acknowledging the younger man like they were lifelong brothers in a worldwide family. A light-hearted conversation ensued. The tall man was Ken Cole, Jr., editor of the 1967 edition of the Boy Scouts of America Fieldbook which had just recently been reprinted.
One Legged Fire Crane
Here’s an amusing side note: With a twinkle in his eye, he related a little “story” about how on his flight over to Schiff, a passenger sitting next to him in the smoking section asked him for a light. He described how he casually retrieved some belly button lint from a plastic bag, and nonchalantly lit the man’s cigarette with flint and steel. Boy, was that guy ever surprised. The account was related with such sincerity, the thought whether or not this actually happened never occurred to the young man. Ken was so engaging and easy to be around, it really didn’t matter.
Ken happened to be carrying a bow saw, and extolled its virtues as a most useful woods tool. He then bragged about how wonderful was the dovetail notch, and proceeded to effortlessly create one in a stick he picked up from the side of the path. It was a happy demonstration. Ken was a very happy guy.
1981 Pioneering Merit Badge Pamphlet
There’s a whole section on “dovetailing” in the 1981 printing of the BSA Pioneering Merit Badge Pamphlet: “With the handy bow saw and a pocket knife, you can make excellent joints for log structures without lashings. This is done by making a triangular notch in the “receiving” log and a tapered end in the other log or pole. This is called “dovetailing” and if done correctly, it provides a tight, rigid joint that is neat and strong.”
BSA Fieldbook, 1976
The following is extracted from the 1976 Boy Scout Fieldbook:
When you must hold two pieces of wood together, and you don’t have rope for lashing and there are no nails or wire, you can do it with a dovetail notch. The dovetail joint, as you know, is a familiar cabinet makers trick. However, you don’t have to be a skilled carpenter to make this dovetail notch. Four cuts by a saw and a few strokes with your knife to pry out the wood in the notch is all there is to it. The notch will hold slender unshaped round sticks for quick work and thicker tight-fitting dovetails for heavy loads.
The scaffold hitch is a superb knot, and in pioneering easily serves a dual purpose.
Primary Role: This is a seriously good knot to use in the construction of a pioneering project bosun’s chair (boatswain’s chair) for a small, straight aerial runway adaptation or a project where a seat is needed to suspend a Scout from a rope swing. As John Sweet points out in Scout Pioneering, it’s a good idea to cut notches about 4 inches from the ends of the board to give the rope something to bite into.
Bundles of 4′ Spars
Second Role: Many different knots can be used for fastening bundles of sticks or poles together, but when it comes to bundling up of 3 to 4-inch ladder rungs, platform spars, and walkway cross spars, the scaffold hitch provides superior clinching power, which is what is needed to keep the bundles tight. (Unless your using screen spline, it’s unparalleled for bundling Scout staves!)
Tying the Scaffold Hitch: PRIMARY ROLEUsing the Scaffold Hitch to Bundle Poles.
“Why Pioneering? To me the overriding reason for presenting Pioneering is that Scouts like it.”
We know with certainty that the majority of Scouts do like pioneering, and the better they get at it, the more they like it. So, if the Scouts have the desire, why aren’t more Scout units providing the remarkable fun that goes hand in hand with building and enjoying a wide range of pioneering structures?
The reason or reasons are obvious. Somewhere there’s an obstacle or obstacles, and a problem or problems. If there wasn’t, more and more Scouts would be happily involved in unit pioneering programs, building ever-more wonderful things at camp, on outings, and during camporees. The fun, adventure, involvement and challenges are built right in—and also the success. And, nothing succeeds like success! So lets start right there:
STUMBLING BLOCK 1: Nothing Succeeds Like Success!
Generally speaking, experiencing failure is not great for sparking enthusiasm and rarely results in an exclamation like, “Hey! That was fun!” In his book Pioneering Projects, Gilwell Camp Chief, John Thurman wrote, “if any Patrol, Troop, or Scouter tries to start pioneering before establishing a sound background of basic Scout training in regard to knotting and lashing, then pioneering will become unpopular and will go down in the history of the Patrol or Troop as a failure.” Why? Because without the prerequisite skills, the structure won’t work or stay standing. That’s no way to equate pioneering with something the Scouts can successfully accomplish, and that’s no fun.
An Introduction to Round Lashing for New Scouts During a Troop Meeting
But, just teaching Scouts the ropes is not enough! Unless the training sessions on knotting and lashing are “tied” to some fun or practical application, then repeated knot-tying and lashing sessions will be a source of exasperation and boredom—an inevitable turn off. Not good! After introducing some basics, give the Scouts a real opportunity to put them into action! Not with an elaborate project, but with a challenge or game where they actually get to use what they learned.
Scouts use they’re round lashings to play “Catch the Snapper.”
(Refer to Favorite Scout Meeting Challenges.) Make sure the activity matches their skill level. That way, success is assured, and each new success is a building block to a bigger one. When these initial forays into pioneering are successfully carried out, then it’s a sure bet that actually building the useful camp gadget and larger campsite improvement will result in its own success story with a tangible outcome in the form of a concrete accomplishment. “We built that!”
Now, if the youth and adults are really interested, what else will hold a troop back from implementing an effective Pioneering program?
STUMBLING BLOCK 2: Lack of Scouter Training.
Pioneering Team Building Challenge at a Camporee
(a) It’s possible the Scouters themselves don’t possess the necessary knowledge and skills required to introduce their Scouts to the knotting and lashing techniques required to construct even a simple camp gadget, not to mention a bridge.
No excuse. The basic knowledge and skills required are super easy to gain. Knot and lashing diagrams, online animations and demonstrations, and learning sessions from fellow Scouters are available to one and all. What it takes is devoting some time to mastering each technique so it can be passed along directly to the Scouts or to those who will be doing the instructing. VIEW: HOW-TO PIONEERING SKILL VIDEOS
(b) Perhaps the Scouters never actually built the pioneering projects themselves, resulting in a natural hesitation to embark on ventures into unfamiliar territory. When there’s a desire to get into pioneering, but there is very little or no pioneering experience, the best training by far is from qualified individuals who have presented a well-rounded pioneering program to their units and have themselves helped provide the opportunities to successfully build the projects. In lieu of that, a great place to start is to get information that is both understandable and dependable. Successful pioneering programs have been developed from scratch by utilizing the 1993, 1998 edition of the Pioneering Merit Badge Pamphlet by Adolph Peschke. The pamphlet is like an A to Z primer on the modus operandi of basic pioneering. Additionally, as a source of comprehensive information, the book Scout Pioneering spoon feeds the reader with practical approaches and ideas.
STUMBLING BLOCK 3: Lack of equipment.
Lack of equipment is easily the most understandable of all deterrents. Naturally, when there are limited or even zero materials, implementing a unit pioneering program can be daunting proposition. For smaller camp gadgets you can use sticks, Scout staves and binder twine. But, for larger projects, you need the right kind of lashing ropes and the right kinds of spars.
A collection of pine spars ready for transport to the unit’s storage facility.
A favorite John Thurman quote is, “Determination remains the enduring answer to most problems.” So, coupled with the determination that Scouts will be rewarded with rich pioneering experiences, here are some avenues to pursue:
A collection of bamboo, in the quantity and size to build the chosen project.
Make an ongoing and concerted effort to get everyone on deck to help locate and gather the materials needed to build the targeted project(s). This is a whole lot easier and more practical than when one individual takes on the responsibility all by themself.
Check with the owners of land where there are stands of trees that are good for making spars, sharing with them what you want to do with the spars, and offering to do a little unnoticeable thinning out of some trees, which will be beneficial to the overall tree population. Forest Stewardship
Start with what you need. Expand as you go. Necessity is the mother of invention.
Team up with other Scouters in neighboring units, in the District, or in the Council, and put together a pioneering kit for communal use. (For a unit interested in putting together their own pioneering kit, a good place to start is to gather the materials necessary to undertake the specific project or projects the unit wishes to build. More supplies can be added to the unit’s kit to meet additional demands for materials, as required by the desire and wherewithal to tackle new and different projects.)
Gather the materials you need based on where you are in the cumulative pioneering process. Start with what’s necessary for training and interpatrol activities, and then add the components required for a chosen project, starting from the more simple, e.g. a Double A-frame Monkey Bridge. That way, you can start building your pioneering program around the specific project you’ve got in your sights.
If you’re in an area that just ain’t got no trees, check into building a pioneering kit made up of laminated spars.
Nothing really worth doing is ever really easy. The keys are a willingness to learn, a desire strong enough to motivate you to persevere, and the sound conviction that: this is going to be great!
As John Sweet says in Scout Pioneering, in regards to giving Scouts the opportunity to experience the joys of Pioneering, “…greater efforts are obviously needed to open up this adventurous, creative, challenging Scouting activity to the Scouts who would undoubtedly revel in it if given the chance to do so. Everything, finally, will depend on the attitude of the Troop Scout Leader, and they are the one who must be won over. Scouters who are themselves well-versed in the simple techniques of pioneering will need no encouragement and might even have to be restrained! To the others, a vast company, we would merely say that in all fairness they should at least allow their Scouts to have a go. One thing is pretty certain. If they do they will add another dimension to their training programme.”
In the campsite it’s easy to fly the colors by simply tying them directly to the top of the simple flagpole with a couple of short cords. But, on a taller pole that’s going to stay standing, and when you want to raise and lower the flag(s), of course you need a halyard. Here’s one ultra simple recipe that will work with ease and that you can use with confidence:
Materials
A length of 1/4-inch nylon cord that is almost twice as long as the flagpole is high. If your flagpole will be thirty-two feet high, sixty feet of cord will work well.
1/4-inch pulley
2 small carabiners for each flag
When joining the ends of smooth, slippery rope, the Water Knot won’t fail.
Procedure
• Fuse the ends of the nylon cord.
• String on the pulley and join the ends of the nylon cord with a water knot.
The Top of the Halyard
• With an indelible marking pen, mark the middle of the cord. This middle mark will be be just about at the top of the flag pole.
• Stretch out the cord and lay out the flag(s) the desired distance from the middle mark, and using small butterfly knots, tie a fixed loop at each grommet.
• Attach a carabiner to each loop.
Top Section of the Rope Halyard with the Carabiners Attached to Match the Positions of the Grommets
When you’re ready to use the halyard, attach the pulley to the flagpole at the top with a prusik or a rolling hitch on a doubled rope. For shorter, lighter flagpoles, in lieu of a bully, the halyard can be reeved through a simple metal ring.
The following text is by Adolph E. Peschke as presented in the 1998 printing of the 1993 edition of the Pioneering Merit Badge Pamphlet:
Water Knot
What could be simpler than tying two Overhand knots to form a water knot? Its use goes back to commercial fisherman who needed to tie the ends of two wet fishing lines together.
In recent years, mountain climbers have found this knot very useful. They use a man-made fiber rope that is somewhat slick and is difficult to be spliced in the field. To tie two ropes together, climbers use the water knot because it’s a simple knot with little bulk and above all, it’s a knot that will not fail.
Mountain climbers also use the water knot to tie a rope seat and to tie the ends of short lengths of rope together to form a grommet (loop) that’s used in many climbing applications. This knot also works well with nylon webbing used in mountain climbing. Basically, the water knot is handy for tying together any types of ropes of the same diameter. In pioneering, whenever you’re using ropes made of man-made fibers that are braided and slick and don’t hold knots well, think of the water knot.
Pioneering Uses
To tie together the ends of two wet or slippery ropes.
To make a grommet (loop) using all types of rope (braided or twisted). Keep in mind that once strain is put on the knot, it will be hard to untie.
To tie together the ends of halyards.
To tie the ends of flat nylon webbing to make a grommet (loop) or sling.
Water Knot
(Another name for the Water Knot is the Ring Knot.)
The pipe hitch has a variety of uses, but it really comes in handy to help pull out those pioneering stakes that were driven in deeply to maximize the holding power of the anchors. Using the pipe hitch for this purpose can eliminate a good deal of straining, banging, and possible damage when it comes time to take down the structures and disassemble the anchors.
Using the Pipe Hitch to Pull Out Pioneering Stakes (Click on the image for a larger view.)
You can make a couple of rope grommets out of 12-foot lengths of heavy line that can be set aside and reserved for use with a Pipe Hitch, for easier pioneer-stake-extraction.
Note: When stakes are driven in deeply, and especially when the ground is hard, the above technique will be very helpful, but also in conjunction with a process of first loosening the stakes by knocking them on the sides with a mallet.
The following text is by Adolph E. Peschke as presented in the 1998 printing of the 1993 edition of the Pioneering Merit Badge Pamphlet:
Using a rope to pull a pipe or spar can be difficult because you need all the gripping friction you can get to keep the knot from slipping off as you make the pull. One of the best knots for this type of task is a pipe hitch.
Most of the time, the pipe hitch can be tied with four or six turns. If this doesn’t hold, you can always lay on more turns to get the friction you need. Be sure to pull the turns snug as you make them so that you can get the full effect of their friction.
Keep in mind that when you use this knot for a hard pull or for a heavy weight, it should be tied with larger-diameter rope.
Pioneering Uses.
When considerable grip is needed for a lateral pull on a pipe or spar, or to pull a stake or post out of the ground
To hook a light tackle to use in lifting (see figure 27)
Pipe Hitch Diagram (One can actually perceive what’s referred to as the “standing end” to be the “running end.”)
Using a Rope Tackle, two Scouts tighten a hand rope on their monkey bridge.Click on the image for a larger view.
We apply a rope tackle, (also known as the Trucker’s Hitch, Lineman’s Hitch, Load Binder, and Harvester Hitch) where the guylines meet the anchors for pretty much all our pioneering projects. For safety reasons, Taut-Line Hitches should never be used in any pioneering work, because if the tension is eased the knot can slip.
The rope tackle is one of the many skills learned for pioneering that can be used in a variety of situations for many years to come.
Securing a load of spars to a flatbed for transport.
Frequently, we use a rope tackle when creating a ridge line between two trees for dining flies and tarps, and love using them whenever there’s an appropriate need to hold the strain on a line being tightened.
Simple Rope Tackle for a Low Stress Application using Braided Nylon Cord.
Rope Tackle for Pioneering Use
The following drawings and text have been extracted directly from the 1993 publication of the Pioneering Merit Badge Pamphlet written by Adolph Peschke:
When you want to lift or pull more than your own strength will permit, or when you want to make a heavy lifting job a little easier, the rope tackle is a device that can be used.
The idea behind a rope tackle is similar to that of a tackle using blocks and pulleys. In a rope tackle, one lead (end) of the rope has to be fixed. That is, it has to be anchored around a spar or tied through a ring or other piece of hardware that doesn’t move.
Loop knot. Then a loop knot is tied along the standing part of the rope. The Butterfly Knot and the Bowline on a bight are suitable for making a loop knot because they can be tied in the standing part of the rope and they are both easy to tie and fairly easy to untie even after being put under a strain. If you have no other reason to become proficient in tying these two knots, the rope tackle should convince you.
Vertical display, as for lifting or pulling an object.
Connect with the load. After you’ve tied the loop knot, it forms a fixed loop that acts as the wheel in a block. If you’re using the rope tackle to lift or pull an object, pass the running end through a ring or other hardware that’s attached to the object (load). The ring (or other hardware) is used so that the rope is free to slide as you pull on the hauling end of the rope as the tackle takes effect. If you want to use the rope tackle to tighten a line, pass the running end around a fixed object such as a spar, a stake, or a tree.
Finally, the running end of the rope is passed through the fixed loop in the loop knot. The running end becomes the hauling line which is pulled to make the tackle work.
Principles. The rope tackle works on the same principles as any other tackle using mechanical blocks or pulleys. The rigging method shown on the left develops twice the lifting or pulling power that’s applied to the hauling end. In other words, you can lift a fifty-pound weight using only twenty-five pounds of force on the hauling end.
To determine how much force is needed to lift a weight, the general rule is that you count the number of ropes passing through the ring where the object (load) is. In this case there are two ropes passing through the ring that’s attached to the load. Then divide the number into the weight being lifted. Let’s assume that the weight being lifted is fifty pounds. The answer is twenty-five pounds, which is the amount of pull required to lift the fifty pounds with the rope tackle.
When you take into consideration the friction of the ropes rubbing together, you will have to apply a bit more than the twenty-five pounds to make the lift. But even with the loss caused by friction, the rope tackle is quite effective.
Sometimes it is better to actually experience the effect of how the rope tackle works than it is to understand the technical explanation of the process. Setting up a rope tackle will convince you.
Tying off the Rope Tackle & Maintaining the Tension on the Line
Tying off. When using a rope tackle, if you want to hold the position of a load being lifted or pulled, or if you want to hold the strain of a line being tightened, form a bight in the hauling end of the rope and tie it off with a tight Half Hitch below the fixed loop in the Butterfly Knot.
Types of rope. The type of rope you choose for a rope tackle should have a low stretch factor, such as pure manila rope. Ropes that stretch like polypropylene and nylon, even though they are strong, require that you pull the stretch out of the rope before your tackle takes effect.
Note: When in use, the rope tackle can put considerable strain on the fibers of the rope. Therefore, repeated use of the same section of the rope for this purpose should be avoided. The ropes used to make the tackle should be inspected for damaged fibers on a regular basis.
Uses of the rope tackle. The wide range of uses for a rope tackle by a number of different craftsmen speaks for its effectiveness. Each craft seems to use a slightly different knot or hitch to form the loop that makes a rope tackle. The Lorryman’s Hitch, the Lineman’s Hitch, the Stagehand’s Hitch, are all samples of different knots or hitches used to form the loop. The only difference between these hitches is that in some of them the type of knot used to make the loop is more easily untied than others after a hard pull. But they all do essentially the same thing. That is, they form a fixed loop for the rope to be used as a tackle.
The extent to which the rope tackle has been used by craftsmen and tradesmen in their daily work can be better understood from the following list of uses and by the various names by which it is called:
The Linesman’s Hitch is used to put strain on a line in the process of stringing electric or telephone lines. It was used as far back as the building of the telegraph lines that opened up the western states during the 1800s.
The Stagehand’s Hitch is used to adjust the height of the curtains on a theater stage.
The Wagoneer’s Hitch is an English reference to the hitch used to secure the load on a wagon or lorry.
The Load Binder is is what the farmer called the hitch he used to tie down a load of hay on his wagon.
Pulling a log. One of the uses of a rope tackle is to pull a heavy load such as a log. To do this, you need two ropes. Tie a short (6′ to 8′) length of rope to the end of the log with a Timber Hitch. Then tie a bowline at the other end of this rope.
Pulling a Log or Other Heavy Object
To pull the log, tie a long line to a tree or other anchor point with a Roundturn with Two Half Hitches. Then tie a Butterfly Knot in the long line to form the loop for a rope tackle. Run the end of the long line through the Bowline and back through the fixed loop in the Butterfly Knot. Then pull on the end of the long line to pull the log.
Pioneering Uses
To adjust the strain on the guylines of a pioneering project or a flagpole (see figures 98 and 99)
To put the strain on a picket line used for tying up horses or canoes
To tie down and secure your equipment on a trailer or truck (see figure 100)
To hoist or lower equipment in rock climbing
To tie a line to air your sleeping bag or to make a clothesline for wet clothes
To tighten hold-down ropes on large tents and flies
Attaching a light pulley for a rope halyard on a flagpole.
The following text is by Adolph E. Peschke as presented in the 1998 printing of the 1993 edition of the Pioneering Merit Badge Pamphlet:
PRUSIK
This knot has the reputation of having a firm, sure grip once it is put under pressure. The multiple opposing turns provide friction and put a bend in the standing part of the rope, which becomes more difficult to pass through the turns as a lateral pull is applied. The prusik is widely used by mountain climbers as they attach a loop (grommet) made from a smaller rope to a larger rope to form a hand or foothold. It can also be used to form hand and shoulder loops for a lateral pull on another rope or to drag a log or spar. Pioneering Uses
To hook a light tackle on a vertical or horizontal spar.
To make hand and foot loops for climbing another rope or vertical spar.
To make hand and shoulder loops as an aid to hauling a large log. It can easily be moved along as the positions require.
To provide the grip and a loop to tie another line with a sheet bend.
To provide a safety brake against back-slipping on a load-lifting line. (Do not use when lifting a person.)
Ah, the clove hitch. It’s a simple way to attach a rope to a pole, it’s side-to-side adjustable and is frequently used to start and finish a variety of lashings. Some folks don’t like it because in various applications, it’s not the most secure or reliable choice. But, in those instances, there are numerous alternatives. See the following photos—all close clove hitch relatives.
Clove Hitch / Rolling Hitch / Constrictor / Spar Hitch
The clove hitch is one of the most-frequently-used knots Scouts learn, so common, yet it can also be very elusive, especially when it comes to completing certain lashings. In the knot-tying universe, the clove hitch is a whole lot more prevalent than most of us realize, and it can be tied in a variety of ways and from a variety of different perspectives.
Of course they’re all Clove Hitches!
Two Half Hitches. Here’s what John Thurman says in Pioneering Projects: “The first and everlasting thing to remember about the clove hitch is that it is composed of two half hitches. What a very obvious thing to say, but there is hardly one Scout in a hundred who learns what it means. If only we can get Scouts to learn that if you make one half hitch and another half hitch and bring them together they make a clove hitch, what a lot of time the Movement would save in the amount of fiddling and fumbling that goes on when a clove hitch is the order of the day. We would be able to start in the sure knowledge that we can make clove hitches and pass quickly on to better and brighter things.”
Starting from the right and proceeding the the left. / Starting from the left and proceeding to the right.
Before addressing the various ways to approach tying a clove hitch, did you ever wonder why the basic knot, two half hitches is called “Two Half Hitches?” (The name “Double Half Hitch” has also been used.) What’s a half hitch anyway? Well, now we know it’s half a clove hitch, (the line wraps around the object and then passes under itself) but how many of us have realized that in actuality, two half hitches is a clove hitch tied around the rope’s standing part? That’s what it is! On a side note, the very useful taut-line hitch is nothing but a clove hitch started off with a roundturn (called a rolling hitch), which is also tied around the rope’s standing part. As mentioned above, the clove hitch is whole lot more prevalent than most of us realize, and indeed it can be tied in a variety of ways. Here we go:
A Hitching Post with a Series of Half HitchesHitching Race during a Troop Meeting’s Gathering Period
Open-End Clove Hitch (Clove Hitch on a Bight). Back in the 60s at Camp Wauwepex, a Scout camp on Long Island, one of the attractions in the Scoutcraft area was a vertical pole about 4 feet tall with a rope attached near the bottom. This was a “Hitching Post.” It was put up so Scouts could see how many Half Hitches they could throw over the top of the pole as quickly as possible. Watching fellow Scouts who had mastered the simple technique provided enough motivation to learn how to do it too, and it was easy to get quite good at it. As we were throwing hitches over the pole with greater and greater alacrity, we weren’t aware that every two of these hitches was a clove hitch. Nor would we have cared. It was just fun to see how fast we could get. VIEW VIDEO: Hitching Race
When preceding from the left, all that needs to be done is:
Form another right underhand loop and place it over the pole (on top of the pervious one).
Voila! Clove hitch!
When preceding from the right, instead of right underhand loops, form left underhand loops.
In no position to tie anything but an “Open-Ended Clove Hitch!”
Without being informed, one can just look at two of these half hitches and see they look exactly like a clove hitch. Of course, that’s because these two half hitches are a clove hitch. Throwing two half hitches over the open end of a vertical pole is the hands down, quickest way of tying a clove hitch. After you’ve done it for awhile, it takes about a second. A common way to refer to this “Clove Hitch on a Bight” is to call it an “Open-Ended Clove Hitch.” It’s exactly what the doctor ordered when you need to tie a clove hitch over the end of a spar. It’s also the only way to tie a clove hitch in the middle of a long line, like when securing a hand rope on the top of an A-frame during the construction of a Double A-frame Monkey Bridge (unless you want to pull foot after foot of rope through the hitches because you’re using an alternate method, or… you just don’t know any better).
Open-End Clove Hitch
It’s really surprising how many folks, old and young, aren’t familiar with this simple method of tying a clove hitch. Here’s an amusing illustration: A young Scout was competing at a camporee for the best time in completing a Rope-Toss-Log-Lift Challenge. After throwing the rope over the crossbar and tying the end to a log with a timber hitch, the third step is to secure the other end of the rope to a stake in the ground with a clove hitch. Ah! An open ended pole! So, this young Scout completes the first two steps, runs over to the stake and, bam! He ties an Open-Ended Clove Hitch over that stake in nothing flat. The jaw of the Scouter conducting the event drops down. With mouth open and a look of bewilderment on his face, he leans down, scratches his head, and examines the knot. Yes, to his surprise, indeed it’s a clove hitch! This skinny, young Scout did something the adult had never seen before, and the old guy was astonished!
Finishing a Lashing with Two Half Hitches.
Finishing a Diagonal Lashing with Two Half Hitches forming the Clove Hitch
Here’s the story: When you learn how to do this, number one, it’s faster. Number two, it’s also easier to securely finish off the frapping turns, because it’s a cinch to snug both half hitches in close and pull them real tight, which is definitely something you want to do.
These 22 Safety Points are included in the manuscript for the next edition of the Pioneering Merit Badge.
The following text is by Adolph E. Peschke as presented in the 1998 printing of the 1993 edition of the Pioneering Merit Badge Pamphlet:
As you begin your pioneering activities, safety must be your first consideration. The following safety points are some that you and your group should keep in mind:
Check all equipment, rope, tools, and hardware to ensure they are in good working condition.
Appoint a safety officer as soon as you arrive at the work site.
The safety officer, along with the rest of the group, should constantly check the work site to keep it clean of debris. Equipment should be kept in an organized fashion.
During the construction of a project, only one person should give instructions and signals.
Do not work during rainy or wet conditions. Rope and spars become slippery, as does your footing. Knots can slip when wet and become unsafe.
Wear clothing to fit the season and wear gloves when necessary to protect your hands.
Take regular breaks to discuss the work in progress and ensure that everyone understands what is required of them.
Double-check all anchors and holdfasts on the pioneering project as strain is applied during use.
Test the structure or bridge before allowing general use.
Ensure that you have good footing, use both hands to make the work easier, and do not lift more than you can handle.
When the day’s work is complete, untie all knots, coil all ropes, check all hardware, and store everything in its proper place.
When tying knots that will be out of reach, secure the running end with a piece of light cord.
When the bottom end of a spar, such as the leg of a tower, rests on hard ground, it should be “heeled in”— that is, set in a 4″ to 6” deep hole to keep it from shifting.
When raising towers, have at least two hoisting lines on the opposite side to prevent overpulling the proper position.
If the design calls for a certain size and type of rope or spar, do not substitute something of lesser strength.
Here are some obvious but necessary additional safety measures that should be remembered:
General
Spars resting on the ground are not for standing upon. They can unexpectedly roll causing injuries.
Only one person at a time belongs on a ladder. Persons coming down from a project use the ladder first.
Racing up or down a ladder can result in slipping and an accident.
The number of people using a platform should be strictly limited to the maximum number established beforehand and announced by the safety officer.
Jumping or playing around while on a platform is totally unnecessary and can have dire results.
When lifting the a spar to facilitate the frapping of a tripod lashing, care should always be taken to ensure that the person working the rope doesn’t injure his fingers.
There should always be plenty of room between the person carrying spars and other people.
When working with newer manila lashing ropes, rope splinters can be avoided by wearing gloves.
When using heavy mallets to pound in pioneering stakes, pain can be avoided by being especially careful.
All equipment should be treated with respect and used appropriately for its intended purpose.
Monkey Bridges
There should only be one person on a monkey bridge at a time.
While crossing the bridge, people shouldn’t bounce or purposely swing or sway on the ropes, nor should anyone race to see how quickly they can get across, which can easily lead to losing their footing.
Those waiting their turn to cross the bridge should stay off the ropes between the anchors and the bridge framework.
Whenever the foot rope and/or hand ropes are being tightened, or the spanner ropes are being adjusted, everyone should stay completely off the bridge.
The kind of rope ladder referred to here is constructed using two lengths of rope and short spars (3′ x 2″ are ideal) to serve as ladder rungs. To easily and effectively attach the rungs to the ropes, a Marlin Spike Hitch, also known as a lever hitch can be used. As John Thurman explains in Pioneering Principals, “The vital thing to remember is that the knotted part of the hitch must be under each ladder rung so that when a weight is put on the rung the knot will work in support. The ladder used the other way round can result in the rungs slipping as the weight goes on to them.”
Simple Slip Knot
The method applied here is very similar to tying the old fashioned Slip Knot where you make an overhand loop, reach through underneath, grab the standing part of the rope and pull it through.
In the process of making a rope ladder, after pulling the standing part through, stick the ladder rung inside the new loop you just formed. Tying the Marlin Spike Hitch in this manner assures you will have the part of the hitch with the knot under the ladder rung.
Depending on the diameter of the short spars, to space the ladder rungs about a foot apart, make the next overhand loop about 15 inches away from the previous rung.
Preparing the Marlin Spike HitchInserting the Ladder Rung
It’s easy to adjust the position of the rungs by loosening the Marlin Spike Hitches and moving them with the short spars up and down on each side until the desired distance between the rungs is achieved and they are nicely horizontal and perpendicular to the ropes. Then, give the rope on either side of the rungs a good pull to tighten the hitch back up.
When tying on the rungs, start at the top of the ladder. For a shorter ladder, you can attach the ropes to their anchor point and tie on the rungs vertically. For a long ladder that needs to be prepared before attaching it to the top anchor points, construct the ladder on the ground.
When the ladder is completed and attached at the top, don’t forget to tie it off at the bottom, which will measurably increase stability and the ease of climbing. This can be done by driving in a pioneering stake in line with each rope at a 45° angle. Pull the ropes taut and tie them to their respective stakes with a roundturn with two half hitches or a rolling hitch.
The following text is by Adolph E. Peschke as presented in the 1998 printing of the 1993 edition of the Pioneering Merit Badge Pamphlet:
Making the proper splices in the proper places on your ropes is the benchmark of a skilled craftsman. Very often, the ability to do a neat job of splicing is placed on the top of the skills list of ropework. Making splices is not really all that hard to do. There are three basic types of splices that are typically made on three-strand twisted rope: an eye splice, a back splice, and a short splice. The basic process in all three splices is to unlay the strands at the end of the rope, then weave them over and under back into the rope to form the splice. In some cases the right knot could do the same job as each of these three splices: a bowline might be used instead of an eye splice; a Sheet Bend, Water Knot or Carrick Bend instead of a short splice, and whipping could replace the back splice. Knots are bulkier than splices. Splices are neater and smaller and not likely to come untied in use. Splices in ropes make the rope secure and ready to go when needed.
There are a number of rather complicated splices. The eye splice, back splice and short splice are basic and well suited to the type of pioneering outlined (in this pamphlet.) The splices shown here can be made in any three strand rope (manila, sisal, poly, or nylon). Learning how to make the first tuck on each of the three strands is the key to splicing. The first tuck sets up the pattern for the following tucks and gives the splice a symmetrical appearance. Those first few tucks that you make might look a bit rough, but try to remember that neatness is one of the keys to a well-made splice. Try to prevent each strand from raveling while you’re working with it. Also, you should try to pull each set of tucks tight and with even tension. The rope should maintain approximately 80% of its strength if the splice is made with a series of three tucks on each of the three strands. If after making the first three tucks on all three strands, you reduce each strand to one-half of its fibers and make a fourth tuck, the splice will have a nice tapered look.
To learn the technique of splicing, it’s best to practice with a short piece of 1/4″ three strand manila rope. Avoid sisal and plastic rope until you have mastered splicing with manila rope. Even the best drawings of the steps for making a splice can look confusing. The best way to learn how to splice is to sit down one-on-one with someone who is familiar with the techniques and go over each step a few times until you get used to how the strands are woven together. Splicing is not one of those skills that you can do once and then never forget how to do it. It takes a lot of practice.
Back Splice
BACK SPLICE The back splice is made to prevent the end of the rope from raveling. It can be used instead of making a whipping. Of the three splices shown here, the back splice is the least used because its bulk at the working end of the rope makes tying some knots more difficult.
Unlay more than sufficient to make the splice and spread the strands evenly.
Make a crown knot by bending each end over its neighbor in turn, going the same way round as the lay of the rope.
Pull the crown knot into shape.
Tighten it on top of the rope.
Tuck each end in turn over the adjoining main strand and under the next. Draw tight close up to the crown knot.
Continue in this fashion until you’ve made at least three tucks. Draw the ends tight after each round of tucks.
Simple Eye Splice
EYE SPLICE
The eye splice creates a fixed loop at the end of the rope. These are some of the uses for an eye splice:
Splice a fixed loop onto the end of a guyline.
Splice a fixed loop with a thimble in a 10′ rope to form a strop (refer to the “Anchors” section).
Splice a rope into an eyebolt at the bow of a canoe.
Splice a rope into a tent or fly grommet.
Splice the throwing line into a ring buoy at the waterfront.
Splice the line into the block of a block and tackle.
Put eye splices into each end of a rope to be used as a sling.
Unlay more than enough strands for tucking. Lay the strands out so there’s one on the left, one in the middle and one on the right.
Take the middle strand and tuck it under a strand at the proper distance to form the size eye you want.
With the strand on the left go over the strand you just went under, and under the strand behind it.
Turn the splice over and tuck in the last strand so that it exits where the middle strand entered. All strands should be coming out evenly at the same position around the rope.
Continue to tuck in each strand, over and under.
Make a total of three tucks for natural fiber rope, and four tucks for synthetic rope.
Short Splice Used to Make a Rope Grommet
SHORT SPLICE A short splice can be used in place of a knot to join two ropes or the ends of the same rope together. If two ropes are being joined with a short splice, they should be the same type of rope and have the same diameter. Some of the applications of a short splice follow:
Splice the ends of a long line that has been cut, or when a frayed or unsafe portion needs to be cut out.
Splice the ends of a short length of rope to form a grommet (fixed loop).
Use it on a 10′ length of rope to form a strop (fixed loop). (Refer to the “Anchors” section.)
Unlay the ropes, intertwine the strands, and tie a temporary whipping to hold the ropes together. Tie each strand with a constrictor knot to prevent raveling.
Starting with one strand (blue) of the left rope, take it over one of the strands on the right rope, and tuck it under the next strand on the right.
Roll the rope towards you and take the next strand (white) in turn. Take it over the strand on the right rope, and tuck it under the next strand.
Roll the rope towards you again and take the third strand (green) over the next strand and under the one after on the right rope.
At this point, three strands of the left rope should be tucked under two strands on the right rope. Continue by making another tuck with each strand.
Continue the process until three tucks have been made with each strand. Remove the temporary whipping and splice the other left ends in the same way.
Before we relate this interesting, real-life account, here’s a little about building bridges and Pioneering: To open up the frontier, pioneers built BRIDGES. To this day, the most familiar and most functional of all “larger” pioneering projects are bridges. In the older edition of the Pioneering Merit Badge Pamphlet, pioneering legend Adolph Peschke provides details for five “boy-sized” projects. Four of themare bridges: (Double A-Frame Monkey Bridge, Single Lock Bridge, Single Trestle Bridge, Single A-frame Bridge).
Here are some scanned photos and text from the 1976 printing of the Boy Scout Fieldbook where, again, there is a major emphasis on building bridges:
Three Walkway Bridges
“With your knots and lashings down pat, you’re ready for one of the most exciting outdoor crafts going: pioneering—building structures of timbers for practical purposes. It tests many skills, including teamwork. Probably your first try ought to be a simple project—but you may get your gang really steamed up by the notion of a bridge to avoid a long walk around a gully, stream, or pond on your campsite. So bridge it!
“LOCK BRIDGES are used for spanning streams with steeply sloping sides. If the stream is narrow, use a single-lock bridge (top right), consisting of two trestles and two roadways. For a wider stream, build a double lock bridge (center) in which the two trestles that are placed in the water are locked into a horizontal trestle that carries the center section of the roadway.
“TRESTLE BRIDGES are used to span fairly wide streams with shallow beds and gently sloping sides. The trestles are of different heights, depending on the depth of the water at various points. The bridge is constructed by placing the first trestle in the water, then lashing two “road bearers” (lateral spars) to the top of it, and anchoring the other end of the bearers to the bank. Other trestles are then placed in the water and connected with more road bearers.”
THE BRIDGE OF FIFTEEN NATIONS
In the preface of his book, Progressive Pioneering,John Thurman tells a story illustrating a modern-day scenario of pioneering in action and how it “saved the day.” Additionally, the account provides a shining example of people from fifteen different countries working very well together to satisfy a common objective:
“SOMETIMES cynical people say, “Why pioneering, anyway?”, “What is the practical application in the modern world?” Well if ever pioneering was justified, the true story that follows surely proves the point. From the very start of Scouting, one overall idea was ‘being prepared’ and I still find that this makes sense, in any country, in any situation, in any age.”
John Thurman goes on to describe exceedingly rainy conditions that prevailed for nine days throughout the training session. With the training at an end, the last day, a September Sunday, was set aside for a special celebration:
“We, that is myself and the members of the Training Teams of fifteen countries of the Americas—North, South, Central, and the Caribbean—had the previous night, at midnight exactly, come to the end of a strenuous, exacting, but very satisfying “Training the Team” Course. The course had been held in the National Training Centre of Mexico, a place called Meztitla. The site was literally hacked out of the jungle, on the lower slope of a considerable mountain range. I had done what I went to Mexico to do and on this Sunday I was relieved of all responsibility and content to be a part of whatever final celebrations the Mexican Scout people planned. The morning was glorious with brilliant sunshine and a fresh and pleasant breeze. The camp looked lovely, although it was a little wet under foot. The flags of fifteen nations flew proudly and unitedly in the centre of the camp. Visitors, many of considerable importance, began to gather; the Mexican Minister of Education, the First Secretary of the British Embassy, the Governor of the State, the Mayor and his supporters, and wives and families, relatives and grandparents of many of those who had taken part in the course.”
In his book, what follows are descriptions of the festivities. It was quite a party with lots of speeches, special presentations, Mexican music, and lots of Mexican food. Then, like it had during the previous nine days, the rain began to fall…and fall, and then really fall. It was one serious downpour, a veritable deluge. John describes that rivers appeared where the paths had been. The only way into camp was a ford across a mountain stream, and this, it was discovered, was already impassable. He writes:
“It steadily worsened; the mountain stream was now a raging torrent, bringing down boulders, tree trunks, and great lumps of what had been the bank. The ford had vanished completely and in front of us was a chasm or ravine about twelve feet deep with a raging torrent tumbling along its new course.
“There was no other way out of camp. We could have stayed and we could have managed, but it would have been hard on the woman and children who were our guests. We could have thrown a foot bridge across the ravine but then they would have been faced with abandoning vehicles and a very long and tiring walk to the nearest habitation.
“Unanimously it was decided that we should build a bridge; not a foot bridge, not a monkey bridge, not an aerial runway, but a road bridge which would carry the vehicles, the equipment, and the people.
“And so began the Saga of the Bridge of Fifteen Nations, for the men of fifteen nations contributed to its building. Mercifully equipment was available and there was a large supply of timber. The hands were willing, experienced, and capable. The men knew their knots and lashings and their basic pioneering.
“Three hours later, as darkness began to cover the area, the first car—a little Renault—gingerly felt its way across the bridge. As it accelerated up the bank on the far side of the ravine, the cheers from the men of fifteen nations were united, vociferous, and heartwarming. We were wet and tired; some of us were bruised and battered, and some had minor cuts, but spirits were never higher. Within the next half hour, every vehicle and every person made their way across the bridge and so onward to Mexico City; perhaps a little later than expected, but Mexico is one of the countries of ‘manana’, so why be concerned about slight errors in punctuality?
“It was truly a memorable day. It was Scouting in action and Scouting in practice. It was good to know that we could build a bridge when a bridge was the only answer. It was even better to know that the men of fifteen nations could work unitedly and effectively to build the bridge.”
The following text is by Adolph E. Peschke as presented in the 1998 printing of the 1993 edition of the Pioneering Merit Badge Pamphlet:
Whipping the ends of all the ropes in your pioneering kit is an indication of a well-managed kit, and a practice that will give your ropes good service in the field. Trying to tie knots in ropes with frayed ends is not only a bother but a waste of time. This can all be avoided by having a small spool of whipping cord as part of your pioneering equipment.
The type of whipping cord that you use is most important. Flax cord that is waxed and made of six strands is the best for pioneering work. Cotton string is not strong enough and will not wear well. Nylon cord is very strong, but tends to be slippery, especially when it’s waxed. A second drawback to nylon cord is that it stretches easily which makes it easy to slip off.
Waxed flax cord can be purchased at most leathercraft stores or shoe repair supply dealers.
The merit badge requirement for whipping can be fulfilled by using any whipping method shown in other Scouting publications. Because of the hard usage that ropes get during pioneering activities, it might be worth the time to learn how to do one or both of the following methods.
A group of countries west of Bristol, England, which has long been a seafaring area, is referred to as West Country. This area is also famous as a starting point for Pilgrims sailing to America. Why and how the West Country Whipping was developed seems to be lost in history. Whoever invented it has left us with a simple and very effective method for whipping the end of a rope.
The Half Hitch (West Country) whipping works equally well on any type of rope, twisted or braided, or rope made from natural fibers or plastic filament. (All plastic ropes should have the end melted back first.) The success of the whipping depends on the tightness of the knots formed by the cord and the interlocking action of the Overhand Knots.
To make a West Country Whipping on a 1/4″-diameter rope, start with a 14″ length of waxed flax cord. Wrap the cord around the end of the rope about 1/2″ to 3/4″ from the end, and tie an Overhand Knot (see photo 1). If the rope is badly frayed, it can be pulled together with a clove hitch or Constrictor Knot to begin the whipping.
Continue by taking the two ends of the whipping cord around the the back of the rope (away from you), and tie another Overhand Knot* (see photo 2). Keep repeating Overhand Knots, front and back until the whipping has been formed. A good rule of thumb to follow when making this kind of whipping is to make the whipping as long as the diameter of the rope.
Always tie each Overhand Knot right over left of left over right so that the knots lay neatly together and snug against the previous knot to form a smooth finished whipping. The West Country Whipping is finished with a Square Knot and the excess cord is trimmed.
* An Overhand Knot tied as the first half of a Square Knot, is more accurately termed a Half Knot. An Overhand Knot is formed when applying the configuration at the end of a line.
Just the thought of sails and ropes flapping in a strong wind when a sailing ship is under way makes you realize that the ends of the ropes aboard a ship have to be whipped to keep them from raveling under the strain. Sailmakers knew that a little extra effort spent whipping the ends of the ropes would make their work much easier in the long haul.
To make the Sailmaker’s Whipping, first unlay the three strands at the end of the rope about 1″ (see figure 81). With a length of whipping cord approximately 16″ long, form an open bight about 3″ long at the end of the cord. Slip the bight over one strand and then lay the two running ends of the cord between the remaining two strands of the rope. (See A and B in figure 81).
Relay the strands of the rope to form the original twist (see figure 82). Then wrap the long end of the whipping cord tightly around the rope. Wrap the cord clockwise, moving toward the end of the rope approximately six turns. Keep each wrap tight against the previous one and neatly together (see figure 82).
Figures 81, 82, and 83
To complete the whipping, bring the original bight up over the same strand it was originally looped over (see figures 81 and 83). Then pull the short end of the whipping cord until the bight is pulled tight on top of the wrappings. Finally, bring both ends of the whipping cord, (A) and (B), up to the end of the rope and tie a Square Knot, pulling it down tight between the strands of the rope and snug on top of the wraps (see figure 83). Cut off any excess from the ends of the whipping cord. This Sailmaker’s Whipping will stay put under hard use.
How to Tie a Sailmaker’s Whipping (Click on the image once and then again to bring up the largest view.)
SCOUT PIONEERING 