Patent ID: 8464738

Claim:
A method of staking a stake-down object in loose material, the method comprising: providing a stake member and a flexible line, the stake member having a longitudinal length extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the stake member including a distal portion proximate the distal end and an elongated portion longitudinally extending between the distal portion and the proximal end, the elongated portion being longitudinally longer than the distal portion, the distal portion having a first lateral width and the elongated portion having a second lateral width, the first lateral width being larger than the second lateral width, the flexible line including a first end and a second end with an intermediate portion therebetween; coupling the first end of the flexible line to the distal portion of the stake member: forcing the distal portion of the stake member and the flexible line into the loose material a distance from the stake-down object with the proximal end of the stake member and the second end of the flexible line remaining exposed above the loose material; and cutting through the loose material with the flexible line with the first end of the flexible line below a surface of the loose material and with a portion of the flexible line extending away from the stake member and through the loose material toward the stake-down object and with the second end exposed above the surface of the loose material; wherein the cutting step comprises substantially maintaining a constant orientation of the stake member relative to the exposed surface of the loose material with the flexible line extending tautly away from the stake member at an angle ranging between about 45 degrees and about 135 degrees.