Tie timber and clove hitch

Every lashing you’ll tie for requirement 3c starts and finishes with one of these two foundational hitches. Mastering their tying mechanics makes pioneering fast, secure, and intuitive.

The Clove Hitch

The name comes from the Old English word cleave, meaning “to hold fast.” The clove hitch is the universal starting and finishing hitch for square, shear, and round lashings.

Method A: Around a Fixed Post or Tree

1. Wrap the rope around the pole once.
2. Cross the running end over the first turn to form an “X”.
3. Bring the rope around the back of the pole a second time.
4. Tuck the running end under the second wrap so it emerges directly between the two legs of the “X”.
5. Pull both ends in opposite directions to set the hitch firmly against the wood.

Method B: Dropped Over an Open Post End

1. Form two identical underhand loops in the rope side by side.
2. Place the right loop behind the left loop.
3. Drop both interlocking loops directly over the top of the pole and pull both ends tight.

The Timber Hitch

The timber hitch is a friction-grip hitch designed to haul logs and start diagonal lashings. It holds with immense force under a steady diagonal pull, but unties instantly once the tension is released.

Step-by-Step Tying

1. Pass the running end completely around the pole (or both poles when starting a diagonal lashing).
2. Pass the running end around the standing line to form a loop.
3. Twist the running end back around itself three or more times inside the loop.
4. Pull the standing line firmly to jam the twists against the bark or pole surface.

[!IMPORTANT] Twist on Itself, Not the Standing Line: Always twist the running end around its own strand. If you wrap it around the standing line instead, it will not grip and will slip under strain. Make at least 3 twists (4 or 5 for smooth, barkless spars).