Activities involving ropes can be dangerous. Therefore If you decide to  replicate any of the activities, shown and described on these pages, they must be done under the supervision of a responsible instructor.   When using knots  the choice of materials; the age, size, and condition of ropes; and the accuracy with which you tie them is crucial. Also using the correct knot for the job, is just as important as maintaining all your pioneering equipment in first class condition. For this reason no responsibility can be  accepted for incidents arising from the use of this material.

The Diagonal Lashing this lashing is better used when the spars are to be set diagonally as in the diagram normally used on spars that cross in the centre of a trestle or when the strain on them tends to push their ends apart. 

This lashing is tide in a similar way to the square lashing but starts with a timber hitch round the centre (A), make three or four turns as in (B), next do the same again but this time in the other fork (C). Then as with the square lashing do three fraps in-between the two spars, and finish of with a clove hitch (D), as with all lashings it’s important to keep each twist and turn as tight as possible whilst tying.

Sheer Lashing this is used to lash together parallel poles, to extend them or as in the diagram to make the top of an A frame, or shear legs. It is one of the simpler of lashing to tie, start as with most lashings with a clove hitch on one spar and twist the end up the standing part as for the square lashing, this is the normal way of finishing of clove hitches used on lashings. Next make up to eight or nine turns round both spars but do nut pull the spars tight together, you will need a small gap for the frapping’s three should do, and finish of with a clove hitch on the opposite spar. There’s one difference with this lashing depending what you want to use it for, if you want to open the legs as in B then you do not have to make it too tight, because this can make it difficult to open them, and you may strain or damage the rope. But if you are using it in conjunction with another one to extend a spar, then you need to make it as tight as possible, also you will fined it better to start and finish your clove hitch round both spars.