Understanding Wood Finishing, 3rd Revised Edition. Bryan Lynch
the hitch.
Lashings
Lashings are a means of using rope to attach logs or poles together. Knowing how to lash rope is incredibly important for building structures such as a shelter or a raft. (See here for a raft project and here for shelter projects.)
Square Lashing
The square lashing seems to work best when two pieces of wood need to be secured at right angles to one another.
1. On one of the pieces of wood, tie an end of paracord in a clove hitch or a timber hitch. I prefer a timber hitch, but either can be used.
2. Next bring the working end up and behind the top piece, over the left piece, under the bottom piece, and over the right piece. Repeat these turns at least three to four times. I kept the turns loose in the above picture to better illustrate the pattern.
3. This illustrates the previous step except that the paracord is tight around the wood, as it should actually be.
4. Make one full turn around one of the pieces of wood and repeat the previous step in the opposite direction. Make sure everything is tight and end in a clove hitch.
5. A finished square lashing will securely hold two pieces of wood and can bear a load.
Diagonal Lashing
Diagonal lashing works best when securing pieces of wood that are not at right angles. An example would be when making an A-frame.
1. Tie a timber hitch so that both pieces of wood are within the knot.
2. Make several turns in a diagonal pattern in one direction.
3. Make one full turn around one of the pieces of wood and continue to make several more diagonal turns over the previous wraps. The crisscross paracord will form an X shape.
4. Finish the lashing with a clove hitch.
Fusing Cords Together
There may be times when you have several lengths of paracord, but what you really need is a single, longer piece. There are several ways you can fuse or tie smaller pieces of paracord together to get a longer piece.
Fuse with Heat
The first method involves melting two opposing cut ends of paracord and pressing them together for ten seconds. The melted nylon will adhere to itself, and, once it cools, it will be fused together. Be extra careful not to burn yourself when dealing with melted nylon.
This method of fusing and ending paracord is used frequently in crafts and bracelets. While this does make a good bond, it is by no means as strong as the original cord. I caution against using it for anything beyond a clothesline.
1. If you have a heat source that you don’t have to hold, like a lighter, you can use two hands to hold the paracord pieces. Once the ends turn black and have melted, take the heat source away and immediately press the two ends together. Hold them in place for roughly ten seconds (this cooling time can vary depending on how much material is melted). You can shape the cooling goo to make the bond stronger.
2. If the joint doesn’t come out to your satisfaction, you can gently reheat the section and reshape. However, sometimes it is easier to cut the section out and try again. Be careful when touching the melted material, because it is extremely hot and sticky.
Double Sheet Bend
The second method of joining two end pieces is by using the double sheet bend. I like this method because it is easy to remember and it works well with different paracord lengths. You can use this method when tying a yarn to a larger piece of paracord. This bend works well if constant pressure is kept on the joint. When tension is released, though, the paracord can start to untie itself. On the positive side, it is easy to pull apart when you are done with it.
1. Take two ends and loop them around each other.
2. Pass the end of the white cord under itself and over the black cord.
3. Repeat the previous step to double the white cord around the black.
4. Tighten the cords and pull the two ends together.
Double Fisherman’s Knot
The double fisherman’s knot is a very strong joining method.
1. Using one end, create a loop around the other cord as pictured.
2. Pass the end of the white cord back through the two white loops
3. Pull the two white ends to tighten the white cord around the black.
4. Repeat the above steps with the black end around the white cord.
5. Pull the white and black ends in opposing directions to bring the two knots together.
Sew
The last method is a bit more involved but holds very well. This works best with a threading needle or upholstery needle, but most people don’t tend to carry these around. (But if you are carrying paracord, I recommend