How do you tie a net knot?

Here, and here

I belong to a net making sub forum but there seems to be problems with the site. I haven't been there in a while. If you like I can send you a pdf on basic net making.

One book I highly recommend is Netmaking, Charles Holdgate, Emerson Books Inc., 1972, SBN# 87523-180-2. It's out of print, but you can find it at the used book websites quite often for about $10.00.

A replica of a West Coast Cod net:

2f464a44.jpg


Netmaking is an excellent skill to acquire. It's relatively easy and it's very versatile - nets for fish, critters and birds, carrying bags, straps, etc.

Doc

This is also a pretty decent book for the price and it is in print. I used it to make this Snapping Turtle trap:

Snappingturtletrap4.jpg
 
that's interesting. i have a booklet published by herter's called nets and netting. has anybody used mason's nylon string for netting? i've been wanting to try my hand at it.
 
Thanks R.H.

randytee, I've tried different mason's nylon cord but I have yet to find any that holds a knot well. I even ordered bonded filament nylon, seen here, and it was no better.

The best stuff I have found to date is dollar store jute, and it closely approximates native natural cordage, since it comes from a plant in India and Pakistan (?).

If you find some nylon cord that does hold well, please let me know. The simple test is tie something like a bowline, and push and pull it and see if the knot loosens up.

Doc
 
Doc,
We used a white nylon years ago to knitt heads for lobster traps....same knots just a more complicated process.
These days they mostly used a modified nylon.....has texture and feels sort of like plastic. I believe it is made by Riverdale but I may be wrong. Try a google search for "lobster pot heads".
Compared to the old stuff this is great. Holds knots real nice and doesn't stretch as much over time. I remember as a kid we would have to re-tie off the heads in the traps as they got older and the material stretched. Wasn't my least favorite this to do, but it made my top ten list for years.
 
falnovice said:
Doc,
We used a white nylon years ago to knitt heads for lobster traps....same knots just a more complicated process.
These days they mostly used a modified nylon.....has texture and feels sort of like plastic. I believe it is made by Riverdale but I may be wrong. Try a google search for "lobster pot heads".
Compared to the old stuff this is great. Holds knots real nice and doesn't stretch as much over time. I remember as a kid we would have to re-tie off the heads in the traps as they got older and the material stretched. Wasn't my least favorite this to do, but it made my top ten list for years.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip, falnovice. I'll check it out.

Doc
 
I just re-read my post. I must have been out of my mind for suggesting you google anything with the words "pot" and "heads" in it. Sorry buddy.

Try "lobster head line" or "Lobster trap heads"

You may also want to try and find two-strand manila twine.
 
You're right - I didn't find a lot on lobster pot heads, but I found a couple of nice sites about crayfish crack-heads! :D

I will try a search again.

Thanks,

Doc
 
I'm getting a lot of this with 'lobster head line' - "Headline ... The B52's perform thier hit "Rock Lobster" live on SNL. ... Re: B52s: Rock Lobster, SNL Live. 1) I can't tell is this is really good or really ..."

I found this, but it looks the same as the stuff I got from Jann's Netcraft.

I'm still looking..............

Well, that's 20 pages of Google - I think I'll stick with my jute. Also, when you order stuff like that on line, you can't try it out first - like a pig in a poke. I don't do that many nets, more water bottle bags, carrying bags, etc. and most often, the pockets of slings.

Slinggroup-edited.jpg


The red and black slings are nylon and the knots held well, but the nylon stretches too much absorbing some of the energy in the throw. The second from the left is butcher's cord and #'s 3, 5, and 6 are jute.

Doc
 
Last edited:
Don't know enough about the required knots yet to know if it would work but some bowstring material is the strongest, lowest stretch material I know of. Brownell D75 for example is .015 dia @ 130lb break strength. Kind of expensive though,$32.00 for a 1/4 pound spool.

A very small dia.bowstring made from it would have nearly a 2000lb breaking strength and would hardly stretch at all even under the stress of shooting.The same size nylon would be around 300lb breaking strength and would stretch a lot untill it reached it's limit.
 
thanks for the info. i reckon i'll bypass the mason's nylon and get some cord from janns or give the jute cord a try.
 
R.H.Clark said:
Don't know enough about the required knots yet to know if it would work but some bowstring material is the strongest, lowest stretch material I know of. Brownell D75 for example is .015 dia @ 130lb break strength. Kind of expensive though,$32.00 for a 1/4 pound spool.

A very small dia.bowstring made from it would have nearly a 2000lb breaking strength and would hardly stretch at all even under the stress of shooting.The same size nylon would be around 300lb breaking strength and would stretch a lot untill it reached it's limit.
Click to expand...

Bowstring material would work - I have some Dacron B-50 but it is way too expensive for this application. I bought some no-name cordage from a surplus store, actually I bought a ton of it. Don't know what material it is made from, but it knots well, is a good diameter for fish nets and the price was right. I have enough for the rest of my life. Unfortunately, I would like something in a larger diameter for the slings. Maybe some kind of hybrid using more than one material....................... :confused:

Randytee, the stuff from Jann's sucks IMHO but YMMV.

Doc
 
doc, what kinda life expectancy do you get out of the jute? i'm gonna pass on the coated nylon. thanks for any imput


rt
 
randytee said:
doc, what kinda life expectancy do you get out of the jute? i'm gonna pass on the coated nylon. thanks for any imput


rt
Click to expand...

As far as fish nets, I've never really put it to the test, but I think it would last as long as most natural fibres that you would find in the bush. (Sorry, must be my primitive skill predilection......)

In the old days, when they were finished using their nets, they would take great care to dry them. A non-issue using coated nylon, I would think.

For bags, pouches, carrying straps, and slings, it seems to last quite well.

Doc
 
Hi Doc, Good to see you. Activity there has dropped since forum organizer Dan's death. All his great knot tying tutorials have been saved.
I recently added some tips for the beginning net maker to that section of the forum.
Here is a net I just added to the photo section

Harvesting Bag

Hangs on shoulder. Drawstring at bottom of net opens to release contents. Tony
goschenhoppen10005.jpg
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top