Inspiration, Information and Ideas for Scout Leaders
The constrictor knot is a way of making a secure, temporary or semi-permanent binding (it’s a good temporary whipping for a rope, closing a bag, or holding a punch of poles together.) A close cousin of the clove hitch the constrictor knot adds an additional crossing of the ends under the full wrap. It’s easy…continue reading
This infographic was generously provided by reader and listener Roger Thor Roop – Thank’s Roger! Click the infographic to see full size. pioneering chair
These incredible pioneering structures built by Israeli Scouts are a real inspiration (here’s the website). Obviously a lot of planning and modeling went into creating projects on this scale. It looks like a tremendous amount of fun doesn’t it? I’ll have to show my Scouts these pictures – who wouldn’t want to build a giant Spongebob or Dragon?…continue reading
A “bend’ in knotting terminology is a knot used to join two ropes. The carrick bend is consider superior in strength and utility to the square or reef knot (which is not classed as a bend). In 1783 the carrick bend was mentioned in nautical dictionary. There are several possible explanations for the name “Carrick”; Ormonde Castle in Carrick-on-Suir shows…continue reading
Larry Green (no relation) has an excellent website and blog on the subject of Scout Pioneering: My name is Larry Green and for over twenty years, I’ve been a student of the late, greatly-loved and widely admired Adolph Peschke, author of the (previous) Pioneering Merit Badge pamphlet, and the acknowledged designer of thirty original “boy-sized” pioneering projects. Adolph’s way of…continue reading
Richard Francis “John” Thurman (4 April 1911 – April 1985) was Camp Chief of Gilwell Park from 1943 to 1969. In 1943, he introduced the Gilwell woggle awarded on the completion of basic training, and the Gilwell scarf and the Wood Badge beads were awarded on the completion of Advanced Training. Thurman wrote a number…continue reading
I’ve watched Scouts who struggle with the traditional square lashing (especially getting it tight enough) learn the Japanese square lashing quickly and go on to actually building stuff rather than fiddling with lashings. The Japanese Square Lashing is a vast improvement over the traditional square lashing Scouts normally use that involves tying clove hitches. It’s simpler and faster to tie and can be drawn up much…continue reading
The icicle hitch is an interesting knot because it won’t slip on a smooth and/or tapered surface (like an icicle). When tied and arranged carefully the icicle hitch is surprisingly slip-free when pulled parallel to the stave or pole or icicle it is tied on. I first learned the icicle hitch years ago in Geoffrey Budworth’s The Ultimate Encyclopedia…continue reading
The trucker’s hitch is a compound knot that functions as a kind of pulley affording a 3-1 mechanical advantage effectively tripling the amount of pull on the working end. I use the trucker’s hitch when tightening up tarp lines, securing loads or making bundles. See my tarp knots infographic for more tarp knots The hitch…continue reading
For some reason this amazingly useful knot has been forgotten. Like many knots, it is stronger than a square knot, but it is unique in that it can always be untied easily, even after it has been loaded heavily. In other words, it will not “jam”. It is also easy to tie and easy to…continue reading
This infographic shows the tarp knots I use. Rigging a tarp or dining fly provides shelter from the wind and rain and shade from the sun. I often use a tarp rather than a tent because there’s plenty of room to spread out and they can be rigged in many different configurations. My favorite tarps are tundra tarps manufactured…continue reading
Check out Peter Le Roux’s pioneering blog Ropes and Poles – Kontiki 2012 an amazing Scouting event centered on pioneered rafts – really incredible. Isengard Tower 60 feet of pioneering awesomeness Peter joined me to talk about South African Scouting on podcast 86
This fanciful chain reaction pioneering project was found at the Ropes and Poles Blog Rain falls during the night and runs down the trough into the billy-can, thereby upsetting the balance of the guillotine and bringing the razor-sharp knife into operation… A signaling device and an ‘ingratiator’ at one go? – not bad eh?.
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