Favorite Knots: Let's share "how-to's"

guncollector

guncollector

Joined
Sep 6, 2001
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Okay, everybody. No wilderness knowledge database is complete without "knots knowledge".

Besides the ubiquitous square knot, some of my packing/wilderness favorites are:
- Coil Knot (see pic below) for storing extra line and creating attachment loops
- Bowline & French (double) Bowline for tying static end/attachment loops and light climbing
- Uni-Knot for tying fishing leaders
- Draw Hitch for tying temp/quick-release lashing points.

Others? Tell us about'em, and share pics if possible.

Hey, RokJok, feel free to chime in here. :)

Coil Knot securing end of Assault Shaker wrap
attachment.php
 
Originally posted by guncollector
Okay, everybody. No wilderness knowledge database is complete without "knots knowledge".

Besides the ubiquitous square knot, some of my packing/wilderness favorites are:
...snip
Click to expand...

Let's see

I use a clove hitch all the time, usually done by the two loops over the end method - I also will modify it to a clove hitch with a bight -

Where I use these is when lifing poles/rods. You tie a clove hitch at the balance point, then walk down to the end you want "Up", and put a half hitch around that end, and lift - allows you to raise polls vertically

Another favorite is the Taught line hitch

Charlie
 
1. Figure Eight
This family of knots has overtaken the bowline family as the knot of choice for search and rescue. They are simple and easy to tie. See, for example, High Angle Rescue Techniques:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...0605114/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-4504284-1761701

2. Truckers Hitch
http://www.dfw.net/~jazzman/knotter/truckers.htm
In tying down a load this arrangement allows you to easily pull a line very tight over what you are tying down, similar to having a ratchet/webbing arrangement. Think of needing to tie something down. Normally you 1. tie a line to something, 2. run the line over the thing to be tied down, and 3. finally tie down the other end of the line. The truckers hitch modifies the third step.

Tie down your line and run it over the load to be tied down. Locate where you normally would have tied the second end of the line down. Pull the line tight and run your hand backwards over the line a couple of feet towards the first tie down.

Tie a small loop into the line there. The loop only has to be big enough to allow you to thread your line through the loop. Take the line's bitter end and now run it around/through the tie down, but bring the bitter end of the line back to the loop you tied in the line.

Run the line through the small loop and back to the tie down. Run the line around the tie down a second time. Now pull on the bitter end. See how really tight the line becomes? Having the loop in the line is just like having a pulley in the line. It gives you a mechanical advantage such that pulling the line tight over the load with the loop installed, causes the line to be twice as tight.

Now just secure the bitter end you just pulled tight over the lines with a couple of half hitches.

When all is said and done the Truckers Hitch is only a small loop in your line.
The first end of the line is tied down normally.
The other end of the line is where the magic takes place.

Take care,
bug

(I use a bowline on a bight for the loop because it unties so easily)
http://www.red-lion.demon.co.uk/knots/Bowline-on-the-bight.html
 
Still use the clove and square knot,but I agree figure 8's for me,single loop,double loop,follow through,in line.Also use the co*k and balls,and the California love knot.
 
Since I haven't climbed in a number of years, I don't currently use nearly as many knots as I did then. Knot tying is one of the skills I definitely need to brush up on again. The two knots I use most now are a regular bowline and what I call these days "the extension cord wrap", which is a modification of a climbing rope lash-up we used for carrying the rope to the base of a climb.

I usually see the extension cord wrap in the back window of electrician vans on the road or spot it at construction worksites. It is not the "monkey chain" series of running slipknots also used by climbers to shorten their webbing into convenient lengths. It is a bundle of coils whose loose end is whipped (in the knot-tyers sense of the word) around the middle of the bundle a few times, then the loose end is pulled through the "loops" that were formed when the middle of the bundle got whipped closed. If you leave the loose end long enough, you can use that end to knot the cord to a beam or branch or whatever else is handy.

I use this wrap a lot to make lengths of paracord into more convenient-to-carry "fobs" than if they were in loose coils. I typically just form the coils by wrapping the paracord around my extended fingers, then whip the middle shut, and tuck the loose end through. If you leave both ends of the paracord long enough, you can use them to tie the bound paracord bundle to a belt, pack, sheath, etc. If the ends are left short, the paracord fob stuffs into a pocket with minimal tangling.

For knife lanyards I use this knot from the Chris Reeve Knives website. http://www.chrisreeve.com/righthandcoilknot.jpg To give a knife handle a Japanese wrapping, the instructions are at the Strider Knives website. http://www.striderknives.com/html/handlewrapping.html

Knowing how to tie knots is much more versatile than simply using dedicated pieces of equipment.

"Knowledge carries mighty light in your pack."
 
I spent some time this evening trying to tie a coil knot. After MANY tries I finally got the ends even while keeping the coil where I wanted it (the first few attempts had the coil very close to the loose ends).

There must be a trick that I'm missing! Anyone have any thoughts?

Thanks!
Brent...
:p
 
Thanks for the plug!

My site also has a short section on knives for knotters (aimed at the less than knife erudite), and a page of links. The first link (Peter Suber's site) is a master list of other links. If you can't find knotting info there, it's not on the web.

On the subject of Figure 8's -- It's true that the figure 8 loop has become more popular in the rescue/fire community, but it was explained to me that it was easier on the rope, and perhaps easier (if you are bowline illiterate) to check that it is tied correctly. One hing to beware of with the figure 8 loop is that it is easy to tie with the leads crossing, rather than lying parallel. This both weakens the knot, and creates the possibility for more damage to the rope.

No one should NOT know how to tie a bowline. It can be tied more quickly than a figure 8, tied one handed, tied easily around yourself, tied easily "in reverse" around a pole or other object in front of you, and is, in short, the king of knots. If worried about the knot slipping, a double loop, or another half hitch around the loop with the working end will make it even more secure. About the only place I wouldn't trust a bowline is in bungee cord, though. There the Angler's (or Perfection) loop will make a more secure knot.

My site has about fifty animated knots, where the animations were made with real line, rather than a cheesy paint package. The Angler's loop is one of them.
 
Great topic;


I like using the taut line hitch and the alpine butterfly. They just seem elegant for some reason.

I even have some knife content! -made a leather sheath to go with my SAK Fireman, and put a turks head over the thickest part of the coil knot. Makes for a nice fob/gripping point. I'll try to post a picture tomorrow.


BTW a friend and I taught the turks head to a group of Webelos :D We were pretty optimistic about the whole thing and it turned out well.
 
Well I have to say that knots are one of my favourite skills. Sometimes I will sit in front of the tv with a bit of string and just practice as many knots as I can remember.

I think if I was going to say the minumum knots that anyone should know it would be:
- Figure of eight loop
- Clove hitch
- Double fishermans
This gives you a fixed loop, attachment to a spar and a way to join 2 lines that are all strong knots.

If I was going to develop someones skills I would go into bowline (faster fixed loop), constrictor (massively stronger version of clove hitch), round turn & 2 half hitches, highwayman's (quick release knot) and prussik knot (rope climbing/tightening/rope grab for pulley system).

Obviously this isn't all you could, or would want to, teach but I think it would be a good start.
As I'm writing this I keep changing my mind! There's too many knots and I find I use most of them at some point!

Stew.
 
Sender, how does one tie your Alpine Butterfly? My 3 year old grandaughter is nicknamed Papillon (French for butterfly sp?).

Thanks,
bug
 
The Alpine Butterfly is used for putting a loop in the middle of a rope, which will take tension in any direction, and not slip. It is also known as a "Lineman's Loop" though the "Alpine Butterfly" is certainly more picturesque! That name comes from putting a loop in the middle of a line to attach a third climber, I believe, and the shape of the knot, which if you squint your eyes a bit, sort of looks like a butterfly.

To tie:

Lay a line across the palm of your hand, the standing end leading away from you, and the other end towards you.

Take two turns around your hand, so your palm shows three strands crossing it.

Now take the end that is coming towards you, which should be one of the outside strands, and just lift it up slightly, and lay it between the other two strands.

You now have a strand (loop) that was in the middle, but now is one of the outside strands. Grab it, cross over the other two strands, and tuck it under them, pulling it out the middle of the knot on the side it originally lay.

When you tighten the knot, that strand will form a loop, which can take tension in any direction without slipping. A truly neat knot. My scouts can pretty much all tie it, and like to. Not bad for a bunch of kids who hated tying knots before a basic skills trip last fall.

There is an animation of the knot on www.folsoms.net/knots, but it is not my most successful animation, as I gave up trying to put my hand in the scanner!;)

Al
 
Al the animation you provided doesn't seem to look like the picture a few posts back on Bladeforms.

The Bladeforms knot has two loops that I take to represent the wings of a butterfly. The animation knot has one loop.

The Bladeforms knot sits on what looks to be a monkeyfist knot, making for great Grandaughter eye candy. The animation doesn't.

Am I missing something?

Take care,
bug
 
loop line three times round hand loosley
take center strand put to one side
take new center strand put to other side
pull new center strand

works with my scouts

conrad
 
The alpine butterfly is a bit of an annoying knot. I've seen about 4 different ways to tie it, all in some sort of book or other and they all appear to give differnet results.

One way is to take the middle of the rope and twist it to give a loop. Then twist it another 2 times so it forms 3 loops in a line
()
()
_____()_____

You then fold it at the top of the bottom loop/bottom of middle loop. The top loop is then folded under the 2 loops and up through them.

Another way is to form 2 loops on the rope. If we go from the left, the line should go along, spiral round to form the loop and then go behind the loop and then spiral round to form another loop and then go over the loop. Kinda hard to explain. It's like when you make a cow's tail.

____()_____________()_____
^ ^ ^
line above line below line above

The middle bit of line is then pulled through one loop and then the other.

Those are just 2 of the ways I've seen. All the ways I've seen appear to work ok. I've never had them slip and don't know which is strongest.
 
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