Knots and Lashings Honor - advanced

Recreational Activities

Requirements

  1. Have the Knots and Lashings Honor.

    Answer: The Pathfinder must have already obtained the basic Knots and Lashings Honor (AR-040), proven with the badge on the uniform and a record in the SGC (Club Management System). Without the prerequisite, they cannot start the advanced version, which goes deeper into maritime knots, whippings and structural lashings for large pioneering projects and specific field situations. — The prerequisite rule is universal in the 'advanced' Honors of the SAD (South American Division). AR-040 covers the 32 basic knots and simple lashings; AR-099 (Advanced) is built on that foundation. The SGC is the SAD's online platform that records all Honors per Pathfinder, generating reports for directors. The basic-level badge goes above the right pocket, and the advanced one is placed nearby, usually differentiated by a star or border. Evaluators check both before approving completion of the Honor.

  2. Name at least three Bible stories where the use of ropes is mentioned.

    Answer: Rahab and the spies (Joshua 2:15): she lets the spies down through the window with a cord of scarlet threads. Samson bound by Delilah (Judges 16:11-12): fresh ropes that he breaks. Paul lowered over the wall of Damascus (Acts 9:25 and 2 Corinthians 11:33): the disciples lower him in a basket held by ropes to escape the Jews who wanted to kill him. — Three canonical episodes where ropes play a central role. Rahab — in Jericho, she hides the Israelite spies and helps them descend through the window using a 'cord of scarlet threads' (Josh 2:15-21), the same sign that would save her house. Samson — Delilah binds him with fresh ropes that he breaks at the first effort (Judg 16:11-12). Paul — after his conversion, fleeing Damascus in a basket lowered over the wall (Acts 9:25; 2 Cor 11:33). Other examples: Joseph thrown into the pit (Gen 37), Jeremiah in the cistern (Jer 38:6), Jesus driving out the merchants with ropes (John 2:15).

  3. Which knot should be used to start a lashing?

    Answer: The clove hitch is the standard knot for starting lashings, as it fixes the rope firmly on the first pole without slipping while the wraps are made. After finishing the wraps and the fraps (tightening turns), the lashing is finished with another clove hitch or a square knot, ensuring both ends are locked. — The clove hitch is the foundation of almost all Adventist pioneering lashings. Characteristics: quick to make, secure under tension, easy to undo after use. It starts well because it creates immediate friction on the wood, holding the rope even before the weave. Valid alternatives in special cases: the constrictor (more permanent, hard to undo) and the timber hitch. Pathfinder manuals reinforce the use of the clove hitch from the basic AR-040 version, maintaining the technical standard of international scouting.

  4. Make the following lashings:
    • Square lashing
    • Diagonal lashing
    • Parallel (shear) lashing
    • Japanese square lashing
    • Figure-eight lashing
    • Single continuous lashing
    • Double continuous lashing
    • Diagonal continuous lashing
    • Double diagonal continuous lashing

    Answer: Square lashing: joins two poles at a right angle (90°). Diagonal: joins crossed poles at any angle, ideal against spreading apart. Parallel (sheer): extends or joins parallel poles. Japanese square: a lighter variant, with 'X'-shaped wraps. Figure-eight: joins three points in a figure-8 pattern. Continuous simple and double: secure several poles in a row. Continuous diagonal and double: the same, on the diagonal. — The advanced lashings expand on the basic ones. The Japanese square lashing uses X-shaped wraps instead of parallel ones, giving an aesthetic appearance without losing strength. The figure-eight lashing joins three pieces at a single crossing point, common in triangular trusses. Continuous ones (simple or double) make up fences, rafts, palisades. The 'diagonals' of the continuous lashings are useful in inclined structures such as ramps, roof trusses and inclined guy-lines. Each lashing requires a perpendicular tightening (frap) followed by a clove hitch to lock it.

  5. Describe why some pieces of furniture, after a few days of being made, end up with loose lashings. What can be done to prevent it?

    Answer: Green wood shrinks as it dries (it loses water) and a damp rope stretches as it dries; both reduce the tightness. To prevent this: use poles that are already dry or well cured, ropes that are dry at the time of lashing, redo the tightening after 24-48h, apply double fraps, and leave the ends slightly slack (wedges) for re-tightening. Synthetic ropes vary less than natural ones. — The phenomenon is physical-mechanical. Green wood has 30-50% internal moisture; as it loses water, the diameter reduces by 5-10%. Natural ropes (sisal, hemp) also lose moisture and contract their fibers, but with the opposite effect on the mesh (slack). Practical solutions: 1) cure the poles in a dry, ventilated place for 1-2 weeks before use; 2) wet the rope during the lashing so that it shrinks together with the wood; 3) check and re-tighten after 1-2 days. Synthetic ropes (polyester, nylon) have less dimensional variation.

  6. Make at least 10 of the following decorative knots:
    • Double bag knot or double-loop manrope knot
    • Single bag knot
    • Rose cushion knot
    • Victory cushion knot
    • Woven cushion knot
    • Single cushion knot
    • Figure-eight cushion knot
    • Reef knot
    • Twisted reef knot, or spiral knot
    • Triangular gasket knot
    • Square gasket knot
    • Round gasket knot
    • Weight knot
    • Three-ring knot
    • Broom knot or figure-eight braid
    • Crossed knot or heaving-line knot
    • Stopper knot
    • Ring knot or sultan's knot
    • Turk's head cushion knot
    • Swedish cushion knot
    • Extended Turk's head cushion knot
    • Basket knot
    • Three-ring cushion knot
    • Loom cushion knot
    • Corner cushion knot
    • Double collar cushion knot

    Answer: Manually execute at least 10 decorative knots from the list, mastering techniques of mats (rose, victory, weave), knobs (bag, broom, crossed, fender, sultan), sennits (triangular, square, round) and knots such as twisted flat, spiral, three-ring and basket. Each knot should be symmetrical, snug and well finished for presentation to the evaluator. — Decorative knots originate in marlinespike seamanship and have been preserved in scouting and Pathfinders as artistic expression with rope. Mats (knots-and-bell-pulls) are often cylindrical to finish off pulls. Knobs (Turk's heads) are decorative cylindrical knots with several passes. Sennits use multiple braided cords in a flat shape. The Turk's head and the Swedish one have a specific pattern counted in 'leads' (passes) and 'bights' (curves). The presentation is evaluated by symmetry and consistent tension.

  7. Make from memory at least 40 of the knots below, telling the evaluator the name, what it is for, and its limitations. Make a report describing each one, citing what it is for and the situations in which it should be used.
    • Overhand knot
    • Loop knot
    • Reef (square) knot
    • Granny knot
    • Slipped reef knot
    • Andean reef knot
    • Sheet bend
    • Slipped sheet bend
    • Clove hitch
    • Double clove hitch
    • Slip knot
    • Slipped figure-eight knot
    • Cat's paw
    • Killick hitch with a locking turn
    • Grappling hitch
    • Fisherman's knot
    • Double fisherman's knot
    • Figure-eight knot
    • Chain of figure-eight knots
    • Double figure-eight knot
    • Figure-nine knot
    • Double figure-nine knot
    • Round turn and two half hitches
    • Highwayman's hitch
    • Bowline
    • Double bowline
    • Munter hitch (stopping turn)
    • Hangman's noose
    • Monk's knot (stopper knot)
    • Bowline on a bight
    • Fireman's chair knot
    • Jug sling knot
    • Trucker's hitch
    • Surgeon's knot
    • Double surgeon's knot
    • Harness knot
    • Ladder knot
    • Stirrup knot
    • Masthead knot (cleat hitch loop)
    • Doubled masthead knot
    • Barrel knot
    • Cat's paw
    • Braid knot
    • Spanish windlass
    • Lark's head knot (cow hitch)
    • Adjustable knot
    • Double overhand knot
    • Josephine knot (Carrick bend)
    • Victory knot
    • Weaver's knot (sheet bend)
    • Square knot (reef knot)
    • Necktie knot
    • Tape knot or water knot
    • Round turn over the line
    • Butterfly knot (alpine butterfly)
    • Chain knot
    • Spanish bowline
    • Prusik knot
    • Simple whipping
    • American whipping
    • Half-hitch whipping
    • UIAA knot (Munter hitch)
    • Double UIAA knot
    • Tent guy-line tensioner knot
    • Chain knot
    • Binding knot
    • Scaffold lashing
    • Loop hitch or Machard knot
    • Spiral knot
    • Bowline in a series of loops
    • Running bowline
    • Slip clove hitch (slippery hitch)
    • Marlinspike hitch
    • Half hitch
    • Blood knot
    • Stake hitch
    • Shoelace knot
    • Fishbone knot
    • Harness loop knot
    • Halter knot (gunline hitch)
    • Taut-line hitch
    • Hunter's bend
    • Stevedore knot
    • Simple monkey's fist
    • True lover's knot
    • Clover knot
    • Knot 88
    • Adventurer knot
    • Pathfinder knot
    • Black widow knot
    • Boy knot
    • VC knot

    Answer: The list of 90+ knots in AR-099 covers broad technical use: retention knots (figure-eight, double figure-eight, figure-nine), anchoring (single and double bowline, clove hitch), friction (Prusik, Klemheist), rappel braking (UIAA), joining (sheet bend, fisherman's, reef knot), rescue (fireman's chair, handcuff knot), tensioning (taut-line, trucker's hitch), as well as whippings (end seals) and traditional maritime knots. Memory + function + limitations reflect the Pathfinder's full operational command in real situations.

  8. Make a board containing at least: 50 samples of knots, 5 lashings and 5 decorative knots.

    Answer: A support (wood, MDF or cork) with 50 knots in real rope, 5 lashings on small models with sticks, and 5 decorative knots. Each sample with a label of name, function and category, organized by groups (retention, anchoring, friction, joining, lashings, decorative) for practical checking. — It is the evolution of the basic board (25 knots) expanded to 60 samples in total. The inclusion of 5 small lashings (at a scale of 30-40 cm with thin sticks) is a differentiator: it tests the ability to produce lashings in a display format. The 5 decorative ones add aesthetics. Best practices: use distinct colored ropes per category, a cork or flannel-covered MDF background, laminated or engraved labels, balanced distribution to avoid crowding. The board becomes a didactic museum piece useful in future club training.