How to Bind Wood Joints With Rawhide

Lashing is an ancient joinery method.

Lashing with natural materials such as rawhide is one of the oldest joinery techniques in the world, as the technique predated the machine age. Because it is a very old method does not mean it is ineffective; it can be provide a tremendously strong joint. It should not be confused with tendon or sinew-lashed joints which make finer joints in a similar fashion. The techniques of lashing are widely varied, depending on how wood is being joined -- but each follows the same basic steps.

Things You'll Need

• Rawhide from a medium to large animal
• Skinning knife
• Wood to join

Instructions

1. Scrape the back of the rawhide removing remnants of fat or muscle and soak the skin in water until it is thoroughly saturated.

2. Scrape the hair off. Lay the skin flat on a work area appropriate for cutting. With the skin wet, scrape the rounded edge of your knife perpendicularly to the direction of the hair in a combing motion. You'll have to make several strokes to fully remove the hair.

3. Cut slices with your skinning knife about 1/4-inch wide, maintaining as straight of a line as possible. Continue, until you have enough rawhide strips for your project.

4. Lay two sticks across one another in an X pattern. Lay a piece of your wet rawhide diagonally across the intersection, wrapping underneath and back over your first wrap, snugging it in place. Hold the end of the rawhide piece with your thumb until you have made several more raps to secure it. With the same strand, cross straight under the intersection of your sticks, then cross over the joint, perpendicularly to your first wraps, making an X pattern with your rawhide.

5. Wrap the rawhide one full wrap, loosely around either stick, tuck the end under that wrap and cinch the rawhide tight over itself in a half hitch. You can repeat this step making one or two additional half hitches. As the rawhide dries it will shrink. Not only will the shrinking tighten the lashing, but the rawhide will adhere to itself like glue.

Tips & Warnings

• There are nearly endless varieties and techniques for lashing, frapping (a cinching lash) and knots to secure the lashes. You can experiment with them, combining techniques. Whatever creates a strong mechanical bond, is appropriate.

• Understand that rawhide does not have the long and strong fibers of sinew, so it does not have the same tensile strength, pound for pound. However, it is more abundant, and often more appropriate for larger joints than those often made with fine sinew.

References

• Boy Scout Troop 780; Lashing Skills; John McNamara
• Alaska Native Knowledge Network: Nails, Pegs & Lashings
• Wilderness Survival: Lashing and Cordage