Making Rope from Sinew
1. Rub the sinew on a rough surface to 2. These fibers can be woven together to
separate it into strands. form a durable rope.
Making Knots
A NATURAL PARTNER TO ROPE MAKING is the ability to tie knots. Like many
survival skills, this one can be overlearned, because there are hundreds of
different types of knots, some of which have very specific uses.
You don’t need to learn hundreds. I’ve found that knowing just a few
simple knots will help you through almost any survival situation, enabling
you to make more effective shelters, fishing implements, snares, and traps.
Les’s Top Three Knots
Bowline: The bowline is a perfect survival knot because of its great strength
and the ease with which it can be tied. It forms a loop (though not a noose)
at the end of a rope, and it is typically used for securing a rope to an object.
To tie a bowline, start by making a loop a short distance from the end of
the rope. Pass the working end of the rope up through the loop, wrap it around
the base, and pull it back down through the loop to finish the bowline.
Clove Hitch: The clove hitch is nothing more than two loops “stacked” on
each other. It’s a great simple knot for securing rope between trees or poles,
and for hanging things from a horizontal pole. Be aware, though, that to be
(^326) | Survive!