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Bushcraft or BS: Making Your Own Grommets

Yes, it’s ANOTHER trash bag survival tip.  You can’t go wrong packing a few of these babies in your bug-out bag.  This tip is all about making grommets on the fly and it’s especially useful if you are using a trash bag as a make-shift tarp, WITHOUT RIPPING HOLES.

Tarps usually come with metal grommets (the metal rings for tying off ropes) but some don’t and they often times they rip through or are otherwise destroyed. If you don’t carry extra grommets in your bug-out bag (which would just take up life-saving space anyways) a ripped grommet can render an important piece of equipment much less useful.

Just puncturing a hole in your tarp to tie it down is NOT going to work.  Under any stress, the rope will rip though the tarp, and then you’re right back where you started, except now you have a giant gash in your tarp.

The simple solution is to use the environment and the cord that you would already have in order to tether your tarp in the first place. Instead of pulling on the edge of your tarp or garbage bag, this type of grommet pulls on a larger surface area, making it a considerably stronger hold.

The best part is that you can use almost ANYTHING you have readily available in your environment, as long as it’s small enough without being so small that the knot slips off at the first tug. We found this rock after just a few second of searching.

Try it out and tell us about your experience in the comments below. Also, if you have any survival hacks that you want to see us put to the test, you can add those to the comments as well and then find out if they are worth your time.

Here’s the link to learn the midshipman’s hitch: http://www.animatedknots.com/midshipmans/index.php

Thanks for watching!

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29 thoughts on “Bushcraft or BS: Making Your Own Grommets”

  1. I use the garbage bags as rain coats . That and they work awesome for shelter. There’s a thousand ways to use them. Thanks for the blog they’re always helpful

    Reply

  2. I used this method while camping in the Smokies. A storm blew up and the corner grommet pulled out. So we used a stone, it lasted the rest of the weekend.

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  4. Grommets are always good to have around when you need them. Not only to replace a bad one , but you can put them in other material to use to tie down for covering things or attaching what ever you are using to avoid ripping the material. Thanks. Fred Hyde.

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  6. Amazing! I,m familiar with Lansky for years and stones. But, now I,be learned a million ways again! Amazing Thanks Rray.

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  8. I think this is a very handy trick that could save your butt in a crucial circumstance
    or in a situation where you just forgot your grommets at the house. Thank you for the tip.
    Thank you,
    Robin

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  9. I’m a certified rigger I know these knots, this info is useful or go to a thrift store and buy an old boyscout book to learn and practice. Be safe

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  12. You can also use pine cones as anchor point also Place cone on inside take a few wraps around cone on the outside and ty off station ground

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  15. Excellent idea ! As a prior service veteran I’M always searching for new ideas to use. Another tool for my toolbox. Thank you.

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  17. Was shown this by an army sergeant, when i was a cadet back in the late eighties. Great for ponchos or other sheets that don’t have grommets.

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  18. I’ve never commented on your post. I take them very serious. I enjoy all ur spots. I’ve purchase from u and I’m supportive of your site

    Reply

  20. Good tip but I have one that is easier and will hold a lot more . What I do is finish removing the pulled out grommet and then slide a tent stake or even a stick into the hemmed edge and tie your rope to it thru the grommet hole, just make sure you go over the tent stake or stick. If you can find something about a foot long is better because it will spread out the pressure over that length. Just slide it in the hole all the way to one side and then slide it back half way to the other side of hole, then feed the rope over and thru hole on other side. If your tarp doesn’t have a hem you can still use this one by rolling it up in the edge and feed the rope thru a small hole and tie it off. Just make sure you roll it far enough make at least one full roll so it pinches itself off. If necessary you could even punch two or three holes and lace the rope thru them. I’ve used both and it works very well.

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  21. You would think that common sense would make these types of tips redundant… in truth when in the great outdoors frustration rather than common sense is the true rule of thumb. We who think we know it all very seldom stop to think at all when something does not perform as it should. Keep the tips coming

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  22. I personaly used this for about 48 years and know that it had been used much longer than that. But using 2 half hiches is a lot easyer. But keep up the good work. My tip is go and talk to some old school boy scouts,they have lots of survival tips

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  24. I simply cut down 1 Side, across the bottom (or other side), tie a knot in each corner, then tie my cord (length A/R) above each “tarp” knot, that’s my Tent/Shelter!

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  27. Another great tip from fight fast, Keep um coming! And, Hey Bob, where is my HFC 1500 water filter? I’m sure it’s on the way to my home! Thanks, for everything from you Bob!! R.R.

    Reply

  28. I have a rock sling (like David and Goliath). That is a great slinging rock I would be looking for anyway, use and reuse.

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  29. That should work. I think back to my Vietnam days where it was improvise EVERYTHING. Having something already made and waiting for you to use it is a much better plan. If I were fixing something (sniper so silence is important to me, it will also be important in the future for another reason). I use either a crossbow when my suppressor has been left home.

    Reply