Subsampling of sediment cores is the important first step of almost every study. Sampling procedures were developed within IODP/ODP/DSDP to ensure the reproducibility of core treatment as well as its documentation. In contrast, procedures for lacustrine sediment cores are as manifold as the corresponding scientific questions and communities. A sampling assembly and a flexible sampling protocol are described in their version adapted to the PASADO project. This protocol introduces a core splitter and a sampling assembly consisting of a divider and a D-scoop for fast and efficient subsampling. Detailed information can be found in our recently published paper (Ohlendorf et al., 2011). The core splitter cuts plastic core liners without contamination of the sediment by liner material. The core sampling assembly is used to sample one core half completely in contiguously steps. The core half is split into slices of similar thickness by inserting thin discs through a comb-like divider (Fig. 1). The D-scoop (Fig. 1) is used to sample these sediment discs. The utilisation of the sediment is optimised because all sediment is sampled in one step. Subsamples with known volume can then be taken from the exact same stratigraphic level in the core. Quality flags are defined to document the condition of every (sub)sample, and to allow a first classification of the sediment character.