At some point in your life, you've probably wanted a grappling hook. And rightly so; they're pretty awesome. Grappling hooks have been around since Roman times, and have become a staple of popular culture, used by movie heroes, pirates, ninjas, and Batman (and who doesn't want to be like Batman?). While climbing trees and snagging hard-to-reach objects like a bike stuck in a river (my friend now has an algae covered bike sitting in his garage) are both pretty great, the best thing about this grappling hook is that it is cheap; it cost me about $5.00 Canadian to make. I tested this with 130 pounds, and the grappling hook held it without a problem; however, use caution! I can make no guarantees that this hook will successfully bear your weight; I would not recommend relying solely on the hook to bear your weight. That being said, be careful and have fun! Update: I just tested the grappling hook with 180 pounds and it held the weight just fine.

Note: Don't use the knot pictured in the main image to hold much weight; use a knot such as a double half-hitch knot.

Thanks to everyone who voted for me in the Metal Contest!

Step 1: What You Need:

- 3 feet of 5/16" round steel rod ($5.00 Canadian at Home Depot)

- Hacksaw

- Clamps or magnets (to secure the pieces while welding)

- A welding mask, gloves and appropriate clothing

- Welder

- A grinder of some sort

Step 2: Making the Shaft

- Cut a 9" length of 5/16" round steel rod.

- Bend the bottom 4" of the shaft into a loop. I did this by making two 90 degree bends about 1.5" apart, forming a "U" shape on one end of the shaft. I then used my vice to sort of "pinch" the two straight legs of the "U" together, forming a loop (check out image 4). Finally, I bent the shaft at about a 45 degree angle so that it was centered over the loop.

- Weld the end of the loop to the shaft.

Step 3: Making the Hooks

- Cut a 5" piece of 5/16" round steel rod.

- Use the grinder to sharpen one end of the 5" piece into a dull point.

- Bend the piece at a 50 degree angle 1.5" away from the non-sharpened end.

- Repeat this step until you have 4 hooks.

Step 4: Welding the Hooks

*Some images have notes on them that may be helpful*

- Place the first 2 hooks on either side of the shaft, near the top. Weld them in place. Then flip the grappling hook over and make matching welds on the other side.

- Use a magnet or clamp the secure the 3rd hook to the shaft perpendicular to the 2 hooks you welded previously. Weld it in place on both the left and right sides of the hook.

- Flip the grappling hook over. Use the magnet to secure the 4th and final hook to the shaft perpendicular to the first 2 hooks you welded. The hook should also be in line with the hook you welded just before this one (the 3rd hook). Weld it in place on both the left and right sides of the hook.

- Clean up the grappling hook. If you want, you can spray paint it.