How to Make your own Wooden Tarp Clips / Fasteners in the field when you need them...

Make your own wooden tarp clips out in the field when you need them – or carry some ready made with you when backpacking, camping and hiking…learn this simple primitive technology bushcraft skill

Maybe you have a tarp you’re using and you would like to expand its capabilities without punching holes into it or shrinking it by tying pebbles…

Back when I was traveling across country there was a time I needed some type of tarp clip or fastener to grab onto an edge of a high quality military poncho that I was using for shelter in a light snow storm. This poncho had limited grommets and I didn’t want to punch any more holes, in turn weakening the poncho. I also did not want to tie pebbles onto the ponchos edge, because this would shrink the poncho up…

So as time has went on, two months had gone by and I had brainstormed on the idea of a DIY tarp clip / fastener that could be made out in the field out of a readily available branch or stick, I came up with something that worked…

I’ve found this simple tarp clip to be useful for various tasks around the campsite. This simple and easily made clip can be used for grabbing onto the edge – or the inside areas – of a material of pretty much any type, whether it be canvas, ripstop / sil nylon, plastic contractor trash bags, Grabber casualty blankets, mylar space blankets, heat sheets, tents, hammocks and mosquito / bug nets…You can even use these clips to stake tarps / tents edges to the ground. There’s many possibilities…

* NOTE: The “Slip Knot” the “Poachers Knot” and the “Scaffold Knot” are all tied the same way, the difference is the amount of wraps you make when tying the knot…

The Slip Knot (uses one wrap/turn)

The Poachers Knot (uses 2 wraps/turns)(recommended for this wooden tarp clip along with good quality string)

The Scaffold Knot (uses 3 wraps/turns)

…here is a simple illustration of how to tie the Poachers Knot:

http://0.tqn.com/d/np/knots/9781593370329_ps_0141_001.jpg

…

Learn this simple bushcraft wood carving skill and give it a try…

The poor man’s tarp clip “Patrick’s Bushcraft Z-clip”

*Tips: when making this clip/fastener you can move the string slot closer to the tarp end if you want better grip

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Video Timeline:
0-0:00 demonstrating the tarp clip in use on a grabber tarp shelter

0:00-9:21 I show you how to make/carve a wooden tarp clip

9:22 – More examples of where to use these clips and a strength test