Page 297 - The Lost Ways

snowshoe frames and heat them again, bending them over the deadfall just like you bent
the frames to make the hoop.

With the outside of the frame complete, it’s now time to add the crossbars. These are
installed with a simple mortise and tenon joint. First, cut down the ends of the crossbar,
making a shoulder in it.

Then make a hole in the frame for this to fit into. It should be fairly snug, but it doesn’t
have to be tight. Nor does it need to be attached with any adhesive or fasteners. The

pressure supplied by the webbing will hold it in place.

Now that the crossbars are in place, the snowshoes are ready for webbing. If you look at
the photos, you’ll see that the webbing on both types of snowshoes is done in three
sections.

The middle section is the heaviest because it is
carrying the biggest part of

your weight. This part is
traditionally tied around the frame.

However, if you are not using
rawhide to make the
webbing, you would be
better off making a series
of holes through the

frames, just like is done for
the front and back parts of
the snowshoe.

There’s a particular pattern
that is traditionally used
for tying the webbing on a
pair of snowshoes, but this is actually immaterial for a survival set. The easiest way to deal

with this on a survival set of snowshoes is to use a simple woven pattern. It is best to
weave it on the diagonal as this will make for smaller spaces.

The idea isn’t so much to follow a particular means of weaving, as that really doesn’t make
much difference. The main point is to have enough webbing to catch in the snow’s surface
tension and hold your weight, so quantity is really much more important than style.

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