Paracord Snow Shoes

This is a traditional style snow shoe with paracord for the webbing. My intention was to give a modern twist to classic style that almost everyone is familiar with. This instructible will be split into two groups, the first being a step by step for the frame and the second showing the basic weaving for the net.

First gather the following items: knife or cutting tool, hacksaw, philips screwdriver, drill with drillbit, 4 screws, 4 1in by 1in by the length from the ground to the top of your shoulder planks of oak wood, and finally 4 1in by 1in by the width of your foot plus 3in.

Take your cross bars (the short wood planks) and measure 1 in then Mark a line with a sharpie, or a pencil. I used a sharpie because you can see it better than a pencil.

Use the hacksaw and the knife/cutting tool to carve a dowl shape. You don't have to be perfect, just the closer you are to the center the better, any mistake can be corrected when you drill the hole later.

Take your sharpie and Mark the letters A B C D in the spots where you want your cross beams to go. Then do the same to the corresponding ends of your cross beams. Next you trace the dowel of your cross beams on the side of the longer board. Using a drill bit the same diameter as the circle you just traced drill a hole in the side of the long board. If the cross beams don't fit file down the edges of the hole until it does fit

Once the boards are put together, fill up your bath tub with very hot water and place your snow shoe inside the tub to soak for a couple of hours. To keep it from floating put some rocks on it to weigh it down.

Take some spare paracord and slowly start bending the ends. Every 10 minutes tighten the rope slowly.

Drill a hole in the ends and take a screw and hand screw it in. DO NOT USE THE DRILL TO SCREW IN SCREWS it will result in mistakes and at this point no one wants to start over. Once it's screwed in use the hack saw to cut off the ends.

Take your knife and shave down the tip to make it thin so that it will bend in the next step.

This part is hard to explain so I will do my best to use detail. First take a ladder or something with an edge to bend the tip. Then take some rope and attach the two ends to make them bend around the edge of the ladder. Next your going to slowly tighten the rope until the tip of the snow shoe is bent at the preferred angle. Now let it sit until it's dry then take it out.

For the weaving you will need the finished frame or frames, some rope, pliers, scissors, and some leather.

Start the tip by tying a slip knot on the cross bar near one side. Then go diagonal to the long plank ( as seen in photo) and tie the knot showing the second picture we will call it a day knot because I can't remember what its called.

Go across to the other side and and tie another day knot.

Next go to the cross bar and tie another day knot

Now follow the long beam to the tip and tie another day knot

Now go to the other side of the of the long board and tie a day knot

Now continue following the pictures and tying day knots

Keep going

Now almost finished, and done ( with the tip) the back is done the exact same way now for the middle and the foot strap.

Start by tying a slip knot next to the first one (done on the tip) and start following the pictures and tying those day knots

Keep going 

Almost done

Just a few more and done.

How for the last part the leather straps. Start by cutting two long strips of leather long enough to go around your foot 2 times. Next cut a point on one of the ends. Then cut two slits below it. Next you go to the other side and punch holes an inch apart, you can punch as many as you want. Next you put the strap through the holes shone. Finally follow the photos on how to tie it