I needed to pull the tree out from the surrounding foliage toward the landing area that I had planned. I began by tying a clove hitch secured with a half hitch around the trunk. Then I walked to a suitable sized tree in line with the landing zone to pull the tree over. I usually use a trucker’s hitch to cinch down but the rope was a braided rope that resisted the usual tie so instead I used an alpine knot for the loop that takes the place of a pulley to pass the rope’s end through.

 
There was enough flex in the tree so that I had to tie the loop farther out from the anchor tree to gain proper leverage. As I pulled the rope the tree tilted towards me but there came a point that I wasn’t strong enough to pull more so I walked mid way to the tree and began to lean on the rope. After several bounces and tugs the tree began to give way slowly and I was to bring the tree down right where I planned. I was delighted.

I tied onto the second tree and began to cut it. To my dismay it began to lean the opposite way and I stopped just in time. Fortunately I had a second rope so I attached it to the tree and anchored on axis to the direction of it’s errant leaning and pulled it back upright. Between the two ropes I was able to reverse it’s initial lean and felled it on top of the first tree!

Using a loop on a rope acts as a pulley and increases your leverage when using it to pull a load, in this case a tree. I used an alpine knot because it can be tied in-line and is easily untied later. If you think in terms of how pulleys work you can use a rope similarly and accomplish amazing feats when needed.

My idea was to hang a rope over a high branch in a tree, stake off each end on the ground, and attach each end of the hammock on each sides of the hanging rope. I experienced some interesting results. The main challenge to the hang is the stretching of the rope on each side but also the need for reliable anchor points on the ground.

I was able to coil the rope at one end in order to throw it over a high limb. I used an “over and under” method when coiling the rope that prevents the line from entangling when thrown, but even then it took me four tries before being successful.

 
I initially used a foot long stake at each end of the rope to secure them to the ground then used webbing to make prusik knots on each side that I used to attach the hammock. When I attempted to lay in the hammock the challenges began. Not only did the rope stretch which lowered the hammock, but the stakes began to pull out of the moist soil. Then I cut two foot long stakes and tried again. One stake held but it took three stakes to hold on the other end.

 
Although the initial prusik knots held, I doubled up the knots with my carabiner fastened through them and over the rope with each prusik positioned on opposing sides of the carabiner.

It took a lot of adjustment with trial and error but in the end it worked! I’m not saying that this is a practical method but it was a proof-in-concept that I had to try and learned a lot in the process. Who knows… it might come in handy for you some day!

Because of that early experience I was able recently to redeem some salvaged ropes that gave me a usable longer rope for odd jobs. A few weeks ago I was able to pull my son’s car out of a muddy ditch by using that rope which gave me a real sense of satisfaction.

It turns out that my son’s car had no anchor points to tie onto underneath the rear so I had to weave the rope in and out of the slotted chassis frame in order to attach it. That took some time to accomplish and as a result I decided to buy a “slip hook” for shallow attachment situations. Having one splice in the rope already, I decided to continue the theme by attaching the slip hook using an “eye splice” where the end of the rope forms a loop when the end is spliced into it’s side. A loop such as this can be a great attachment point for other apparatus as well. At the other end of the rope I made a “back splice” that makes a nice termination similar in function to whipping a rope to keep the end from unraveling.

There are a number of “how-to” videos and articles online that are well worth viewing and I recommend that they should be followed by personal practice to gain valuable experience. Rope and cordage skills should be a part of your emergency preparation skills and can save the day when needed.

Primitive living skills that I enjoy apply to bushcraft wonderfully but cordage can be a challenge due to the resources available. It can take time to process and there’s the question of durability for it’s use. For expedience sake I would practice with commercial cordage which is readily available and reliable.

There are basically two types of cordage on the market: natural fiber and synthetic strand. If you visit a hardware store or shopping isle you can find twine and rope made of cotton, sisal, jute, manila or hemp. These are natural fibers with low stretch and grippy surfaces. The other cordage will be synthetic fiber made of materials such as polyester, polypropylene, and nylon. This cordage will be stronger and more durable but somewhat slippery. You will find their construction will fall in the categories of twisted, solid braid, or diamond braid. The diamond braid is a weaved sheath around a linear fiber core and is less durable than a solid braid.

I usually preferred cordage used for small engine starting cord or drapery valence cord for bow & spindle practice for it’s durability but recently I came across this much less expensive tie-down rope that costs three cents a foot and wanted to share this bargain with other firecrafters and outdoor enthusiasts. Cordage is always good to have in your camping gear, vehicle emergency kit, Bug-Out-Bag, or household. By buying a variety of cordage you can become familiar with their properties and which one is appropriate for your applications.

Once a pull tab is carefully removed from a can lid, you can fold over the small attachment eye on the tab to smooth out the ring’s inside edge. Any sharp edges can wear on the line over time but give added friction to help hold the line in place. You can feed the line in the larger hole, pass over the middle bar, and exit out the other hole. Pull the line out a ways and return the end of the line to the previously attached end of the tab and tie onto it… I prefer a bolen knot, but a couple of half-hitches (simple knots) will do. You can now place your cord’s loop around an anchor like a tent peg and slide the new tensioner up the line until the slack in the loop is taken up. This device works best on cord versus string as a thicker line provides better friction.

Keep this handy application in mind along with pull-tab fish hooks. What other applications have you used? Please share them in the comments below.