Last night's troop meeting was focused on how to tie the Shear Lashing and it's purpose. A Sheer Lashing is often used to bind adjacent poles together. It is also a good way to reinforce a broken or weak pole. A loose Sheer Lashing made around the ends of two poles will allow the poles to be opened out and used as an A-frame. It can also be used to form a tripod just like the Figure-of-eight lashing. If making a flag pole, this is the lashing for the project.

How To:

1. Lay out the poles. For most lashings you will want to lay the poles side by side with the butt ends aligned (thicker ends).
2. Tie a clove hitch around one of the outside poles and secure the standing part by wrapping it around the running part (or trap it under the first turns). Note: If you only lashing two poles together it may be better to simply tie the clove hitch around both poles and pull tight.
3. Pass the rope around the poles to form a first turn.
4. Pulling each turn tight made a series of turns until the lashing is at least as long as the combined diameters of the two poles (usually a set of 4 to 6 turns will be sufficient).
5. Tighten the lashing with a frapping turn by taking the rope down between two poles at one end of the turns. This should be difficult to do if the turns have been pulled tightly (as they should be). Bring the rope back up between the poles at the other end of the lashing and pull tight. Repeat 2 or 3 times.
6. Start the second set of frapping turns by taking the rope around the center pole and frapping. Take the second set of frapping turns in the opposite direction to the first set.
7. Repeat for any additional poles.
8. Pass the rope once more between the poles then around one pole and tuck it under itself to form a half hitch. Pull this tight and make a second half hitch forming a clove hitch by taking the rope around the same pole and tucking it under itself.