Knots and Knot Tying



WARNING: Do not attempt any activity with ropes and/or knots that could be harmful to life or property unless you know exactly what you are doing. There is no substitute for competent instruction when engaging in any potentially harmful activity. This site is for fun and does not pretend to be a training course in knot tying.

Tying knots is something that I've enjoyed doing for many years. While I can tie several different ones, most people only want to be able to tie a few basic knots in order to accomplish some task.

I believe that a person can accomplish most tasks with one basic knot and its variations. That knot is the figure eight knot. Along with its variations it can be used to tie a knot in the end of a rope, form a non-slip loop, tie two ropes together, and anchor a rope to an object. Just as a pair of pliers can't perform every task that requires a screwdriver or some other tool, one knot can't do it all. However, the figure eight is able to perform more than one task, and do it well.

The figure 8 knot is very simple to tie, and is used make a lump in the end of a rope to either keep it from unravelling or to keep it from pulling through a pulley or other opening. It is also the basis for the other knots listed below. Click on the links below to find a diagram of a figure 8 knot.

The figure 8 loop is also simple to tie. It is used to form a non-slip loop. Simply double the end of the rope back so that it lies along itself for a foot or so, then tie a figure 8 knot in the doubled rope. The end will become a loop.

The figure 8 bend is a little trickier but is still relatively easy to tie. Simply tie a figure 8 knot, then feed the second rope through the knot, re-tracing the turns as you go. When you finish the two ends will be pointing in opposite directions. Be sure to retrace the first knot exactly.

The figure 8 follow through, or figure 8 retrace, is used to fasten a rope to an object. When it is completed it is the same as the figure 8 loop. The only difference is in the way it is tied. Tie a figure 8 knot but leave two or three feet of the end sticking out past the knot. Pass the end around the object and then feed the end back through the figure 8, retracing the turns of the knot as you do so. It is simpler than it sounds.



I first learned knots by looking at pictures of knots and trying to duplicate them. This is okay for the simpler knots but is an unsatisfactory method for learning the more complex knots and I found it very frustrating. It's sort of like trying to learn how drive a car or how to dance by looking at pictures. It is much better to have someone show you how. Some of the better books show the intermediate steps in tying a particular knot instead of just the finished product.

The United States Army considers six knots to be essential:
Half-Hitch
Overhand Knot
Square Knot
Clove Hitch
Sheet Bend
Bowline


These are all very basic knots and can be found in the links at the bottom of the page.

LINKS

Knots on the Web
Forty Boy Scout Knots
Caving Knots
International Guild of Knot Tyers, Texas Branch
Blue Water Climbing Rope


If you have access to a newsgroup, check out the rec.craft.knots newsgroup.



BIBLIOGRAPHY

The first book listed here is considered by most to be the definitive work on knots. Clifford W. Ashley (1881-1947), a New Englander, collected thousands of knots, braids, and splices and preserved them here. Anyone claiming to have invented a new knot must pass the "Ashley test." Quite often, the "new" knot is found in Ashley's book. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in knots. A reprint is available and can be found at many bookstores.

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Ashley, Clifford W. The Ashley Book of Knots. Illustrated by the author. Copyright 1944 by the author. Doubleday, NY. Reprinted 1993. The reprint is slightly revised by Geoffrey Budworth of the International Guild of Knot Tyers. Hardback, 620 pages. Extensive index, extensive glossary, extensive bibliography, extensive illustrations, extensive everything!

Boy Scouts of America. Knots and How to Tie Them. Copyright 1978, Boy Scouts of America, Irving, Texas USA. 1988 Printing. Paperback, 32 pages. Index.

Budworth, Geoffrey. The Knot Book. 1985, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., NY. First Published in Great Britain by Elliot Right Way Books, 1983. Paperback, 160 pages. Index, list of applications, glossary. Mr. Budworth is affiliated with the International Guild of Knot Tyers.

Day, Cyrus Lawrence (1900-1968). The Art of Knotting & Splicing. Fourth Edition. Edited by Ray O. Beard, Jr. And M. Lee Hoffman, Jr. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis MD. Copyright 1947 by Dodd, Mead and Co., NY; Copyright 1955, 1970, 1986 by The United States Naval Institute, Annapolis, MD. Paperback, 235 pages, printed on acid-free paper. Index, bibliography, glossary. Photographs.

Graumont, Raoul. Handbook of Knots. Copyright 1945 by Cornell Maritime Press, Inc., Centreville MD. Reprinted in 1990. Paperback, 194 pages. Photographs. Index, glossary.

Jacobson, Cliff. The Basic Essentials of Knots for the Outdoors. Illustrated by Cliff Moen. Part of the Basic Essentials Series. 1990, Merrillville, Indiana. Copyrighted by the author. Paperback, 63 pages. Index. Table on pp. 4-5 from the Cordage Institute comparing ropes of natural and synthetic materials.

Luebben, Craig. Knots for Climbers. Illustrated by Steven Dieckhoff. 1995, Chockstone Press, Evergreen, Colorado, USA. Copyright by the author. Paperback, 39 pages.

Owen, Peter. The Book of Outdoor Knots. 1993, Lyons and Burford, NY. Copyright by the author. Paperback, 139 pages. Glossary, index, lists of knots and their applications.

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