The Lost Art of Lashing

Step #2:

• Consider the golf ball - underneath those dimples, an incredibly long rubber band subjects the core to almost 10,000 pounds of pressure.
• The secret is in the wrapping - every turn adds pressure, which is the same principle at work in a lashing - the result is very strong, but with a little bit of give.

Step #3: Learn the basics.

OK, get your sticks and line and we'll tie our first lashing. Relax - this takes a little bit of practice, so expect to start over a couple of times.

Step #4:

• Starting from your finger, wind the line counterclockwise around the vertical stick, then down around the horizontal stick, and clockwise around the lower portion of the vertical stick.
• Always keep the line tight and tidy as you lay it down.
• Keep going until you have enough wraps (usually 8 to 10 for twine and string).

Step #5:

Then, to really crank up the tension, add crossing wraps.

Step #6:

• Then tie it off with a surgeon's knot (which is just an overhand with an extra twist).
• Almost done - now we lock the surgeon's knot in with a square knot. There are fancier ways to do it, but this is sufficient and easy to remember.

Step #7:

It's critical that the lashing is tight. So, if one gets loose, you can whittle a little wedge and pound it under the line to tighten it.

Step #8:

• If you need to make a longer stick from 2 short ones, overlap and lash 'em.
• Add a few loops across the lashing to tighten them up nicely.

Step #9:

• Tying 3 sticks can be tricky, so instead of lashing all 3 together you can just lash them in pairs.
• You can run the lashing between many sticks at once to create a quick decking.

Step #10:

• A secure, flexible connection is made by running the lashing between the sticks.
• The same technique can be extended to accommodate 3 sticks for a tripod.

Step #11:

• Some durable line is used to keep the legs from splaying
• These tripods can be very stable, remarkably strong, and can be used as a foundation for other structures.

Step #12:

• A natural fork can add strength to your construction and you only have to lash to the strongest side - gravity does the rest.
• If the line slips on the wood, carve out a couple of notches to give it some purchase.

Step #13:

It's not exactly lashing, but when you need real compression, a few long loops around a pair of poles and a short stick make for a highly effective turnbuckle.

Step #14: Now, build something.

If you're going to build something big and complicated, you'll want to make some sketches to help you work out the details.

Step #15:

• Not everything has to be sticks. We'll just finish it off with a heavier line here to make a railing.
• Stable and strong - you can almost make anything with lashing.