# create a location for mirrors
$ svk mkdir //mirror

# establish the mirror to a remote repo
$ svk mirror https://some_repo.url/ //mirror/some_repo

# sync the head revision to your mirror
$ svk sync -s HEAD

# create the branch
$ svk cp -m "branching" //mirror/some_repo/trunk //mirror/some_repo/branches/foo

# check it out
$ svk co //mirror/some_repo/branches/foo

# hack hack hack
$ cd foo
$ $EDITOR bar.pm

# update from branch (but sync first)
$ svk up -s

# check in changes to the branch
$ svk ci -m "log message"

# merge in changes from the trunk (same as svk up -sm)
# this does a smart merge from where the last copy was made
$ svk pull

# hack hack hack and check in changes

# merge branch back into the trunk
$ svk push