This may prove useful to some -
When Im out in the sticks and noise isnt an issue, or Im in bushcraft mode, I will most often fashion the shelter anchor pegs that I need from local natural material and tap them in with the back of an axe head.
When noise is an issue, I might get away with pushing pegs into the ground and achieving sufficient grip or there may be the odd exposed tree root available but rarely as many as I need at the time.
The problem is exacerbated when there is a deep layer of leaf litter and/or peat before you even reach the subsoil. Such situations prompted me to knock out a miniature version of those screw-in anchor stakes that you often see canines tethered to, but which I then developed further into the ones shown in the images made from 5mm mild steel wire wound around a 15mm bar.
The images show the results.
Depending on the nature of the sub-soil they can be easily turned in by hand or if the going is hard by using a straight peg to increase the torque.
Ive been using them periodically for several years now with more success than failures and thought that I ought to try for a reasonably definitive test.
Hardly scientific but I have carried out a pull test in my lawn using a luggage weighing scale on three different types of peg to see how the screw-peg fares.
The straight pegs were pushed in right up to the head.
The screw-peg was wound-in leaving about 2inches (50mm) proud
The first test saw the pegs pushed vertically into the ground and the pull was vertical.
The second test saw the pegs pushed into the ground at 45° and the pull angle was at about 45° to the ground.
Test 1 results vertical -
The slightly curved wire peg (a là Polish Lavvu) pulled clean out at only 2 pounds.
The nail peg held until 30 pounds and then pulled out;
The screw-peg remained in situ at 45 pounds (limit of scale).
Test 2 results 45°
Both the Lavvu wire and the nail pegs simply pulled upright and then shot out of the ground as previously. The pull weight was about the same, the process took perhaps slightly longer.
The screw peg loop and straight section cut through the ground until upright and then further until it had moved through 90° - (effectively facing the opposite direction which it had begun) and it remained firmly in situ. I carefully dug one out to reveal the earth plug that it had created. (see images)
I carry a set of four in my deployment kit just in case.
When Im out in the sticks and noise isnt an issue, or Im in bushcraft mode, I will most often fashion the shelter anchor pegs that I need from local natural material and tap them in with the back of an axe head.
When noise is an issue, I might get away with pushing pegs into the ground and achieving sufficient grip or there may be the odd exposed tree root available but rarely as many as I need at the time.
The problem is exacerbated when there is a deep layer of leaf litter and/or peat before you even reach the subsoil. Such situations prompted me to knock out a miniature version of those screw-in anchor stakes that you often see canines tethered to, but which I then developed further into the ones shown in the images made from 5mm mild steel wire wound around a 15mm bar.
The images show the results.
Depending on the nature of the sub-soil they can be easily turned in by hand or if the going is hard by using a straight peg to increase the torque.
Ive been using them periodically for several years now with more success than failures and thought that I ought to try for a reasonably definitive test.
Hardly scientific but I have carried out a pull test in my lawn using a luggage weighing scale on three different types of peg to see how the screw-peg fares.
The straight pegs were pushed in right up to the head.
The screw-peg was wound-in leaving about 2inches (50mm) proud
The first test saw the pegs pushed vertically into the ground and the pull was vertical.
The second test saw the pegs pushed into the ground at 45° and the pull angle was at about 45° to the ground.
Test 1 results vertical -
The slightly curved wire peg (a là Polish Lavvu) pulled clean out at only 2 pounds.
The nail peg held until 30 pounds and then pulled out;
The screw-peg remained in situ at 45 pounds (limit of scale).
Test 2 results 45°
Both the Lavvu wire and the nail pegs simply pulled upright and then shot out of the ground as previously. The pull weight was about the same, the process took perhaps slightly longer.
The screw peg loop and straight section cut through the ground until upright and then further until it had moved through 90° - (effectively facing the opposite direction which it had begun) and it remained firmly in situ. I carefully dug one out to reveal the earth plug that it had created. (see images)
I carry a set of four in my deployment kit just in case.
