Scouting Skills FirelightingKnotsLashingsTrangiasFirelighting Tipi Tipi The simplest and most effective way to start any kind of fire. You’ll use a tipi made from kindling to start build one with the smallest, driest, most exposed pieces of wood possible. Then, either put your tinder in its centre and light it or light it! The basic idea is to create a structure that concentrates the flame while allowing plenty of air to enter. Start with enough wood on your tipi to get going, then just add more slowly as the fire builds. Start small and work up to larger pieces as appropriate; you’ll develop a feel for when and how large with practice. Log Cabin Building a log cabin creates a structure that will progressively burn for a long time, while lighting quickly and easily from a tipi or other kindling structure built inside it. These are great for getting bonfires going quickly or just building a campfire you can then ignore while you prep food or perform other chores. Use the thickest logs for the base, then go a bit smaller as you work up. You can also reduce the circumference into sort of a pyramid for something that will catch a bit quicker. Lean To Need to protect your fledgling fire from wind and rain as you get it going? Build a lean to does just that. There’s two main methods for doing this. The first, and easiest, is to simply lay a big log down as a windbreak, then lean your progressively larger firewood on that. Demonstrated here is the cantilevered branch approach, which allows you to build something larger. To do it this way, find a green branch to serve as a ridge pole and either prop it up with a forked stick or weight it as we did here. Then, just build that lean to starting with small kindling and working your way up to larger pieces of wood. Build a little tipi way inside the lean to, where it’s protected from the wind and rain and, by the time the whole thing collapses, it’ll be going strong enough to be impervious to weather Knots Square Knot (reef knot) Description: A double knot, left over right and right over left to create parallel standing parts Purpose: It is used to connect two ropes of equal size. Stage 1: Take the two bitter ends Stage 2: Cross them over Stage 3: Tie the first half knot (half hitch) Stage 4: Maintain the same rope on top (red) as you cross them over a second time to tie the second half hitch. Stage 5: Pull the ends evenly to form a symmetrical Square knot.Add extra half hitches for safety Sheep Shank Two half hitches either end of a length of rope Purpose: strengthen a rope at its weak point by placing the weak part in the middle between the two loops Stage 1: Fold the rope to approximately the desired new length Stage 2: Form a half hitch in one standing end Stage 3: Drop it over the adjacent bight Stage 4: Tighten it Stage 5: Form a half hitch in the other standing end Stage 6: Drop it over its adjacent bight Stage 7: Then tighten it too. Keep tension on both sides. Clove Hitch Two single hitches (half hitches) tied in the same direction around an object. Purpose: To secure a line to a post or pole; to start and end most lashings. Stage 1: Form 2 bends in the rope Stage 2: In the Rope twist the bends Stage 3: Then form a second loop – the “same way up”. Both loops should be identical Stage 4: Then put the right one over the top of the left one. Stage 5: Place the knot over the post Timber Hitch Two single hitches (half hitches) tied in the same direction around an object. Purpose: To secure a line to a post or pole; to start and end most lashings. Stage 1: Pass The end around the back Stage 2: Then get the end that has gone around the wood Stage 3: Then wrap round the standing end Stage 3: Then wrap round the standing end Stage 5: wrap around again till you get the end on the left side Stage 6: Do this 3 times Stage 7: Should Start to look like this image Stage 8: Then tighten so now the 3 rounds are tight against the wood Bow Line A loop knot that neither slips nor jams Purpose: To wither bind two together to get length in a rope of to hold pressure of a pull. Stage 1: Form a loop a short distance from the end Stage 2: Allow for the size of the loop and the knot itself Stage 3: Pass the end of the rope through the loop Stage 4: As though making a simple knot (a half-hitch) Stage 5: Pull the end through Stage 6: Then around the back Stage 7: Around the standing end Stage 8: Then back down Stage 9: Then feed it through the loop middle loop Stage 10: Finish by tightening Sheet Bend A type of knot that can be used to join two ropes of different diameters Purpose: joining two ropes of unequal size Stage 1: Form a loop in the thicker rope Stage 2:Hold it in one hand Stage 3: Pass the thinner piece of rope Stage 4: Through the loop Stage 5: Then round the loop Stage 6:Take care to go round the short end first Stage 7: Then round the long end Stage 8: Tuck the smaller rope Stage 9: Back under itself Stage 10: Then tighten and complete Friendship Knot Lashings Square Lashing Diagonal Lashing Sheer Lashing Tripod Lashing Trangias Trangias are used a lot within Explorers below is how you put a Trangia together follow these step and some basic safety instructions – Never use Trangia in a tent – Always use Trangia on an even and flat surface – Always wait until the burner has cooled down before packing away Start by removing the strap, loosen the buckle and untie the strap. Take off the frypan/lid. The frypan can be used as a lid and is available in four different materials. Fold the supports upwards or downwards to fit saucepans or frying pan. Take out the kettle. Not included in all models, available as an accessory. Take out the saucepans. The saucepans are available in four different materials. We now use gas so you will need the Gas Burner and a Gas Bottle that will need to be screw fitting Thread the tube through hole in the top and out through the side then connect to the gas bottle