simplifying knots

Helle said:
Cliff Jacobson has some good stuff on knots, link to one of his books
http://books.google.com/books?id=-LbJrOXBrE0C&dq=Cliff+Jacobson&printsec=frontcover&source=an&hl=en&ei=sRFSS4RGh_Y1qc3UiAk&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=11&ved=0CCYQ6AEwCg#v=onepage&q=&f=false

He has a Video called, "The Forgotten Skills" that is a good too.:thumbup:
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FYI, Cliff Jacobson describes anybody with a knife over about 4 inches (IIRC), a cowboy. (in Tactical Knives). I think he said the only reason he needs it that long is to reach the bottom of his peanut butter jar. IMHO, Jacobson is a jerk!

No disrespect meant to Helle. Sorry for the rant.

Doc
 
DOC-CANADA said:
FYI, Cliff Jacobson describes anybody with a knife over about 4 inches (IIRC), a cowboy. (in Tactical Knives). I think he said the only reason he needs it that long is to reach the bottom of his peanut butter jar. IMHO, Jacobson is a jerk!

No disrespect meant to Helle. Sorry for the rant.

Doc
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None taken, I've met the guy and your description fits him.

He knows how to tie some mean knots though.:)
 
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What pisses me off about knots, is that if I do not use/practice fairly often my brain dumps the info. 20 years ago I could tie dozens. Now I'm lucky if I can tie a reef. I will be paying attention to this thread.
 
until recently (like within the last month and I am currently 42) I only really knew about 2 knots - the granny knot (overhand knot)
and the bow knot for tying my shoes.

Now I have a few hundred feet of paracord and I have started learning how to tie some simple but useful knots. The easiest way to learn so far has been to sit down in front of the computer and browse to a site that show how to tie a knot, while looking at how to do it I get some paracord and try what I see on the screen. The next trick is to practice each knot enough to get the old brain to commit it to memory.
 
The bushcraft course I run for Army Cadets includes the following.
I also tell them that as most are 15+. So somewhere in the next five years everything they own will be loaded onto a trailer or Ute ( pick up truck) and if they can't tie it on not all of it is gunna arrive.
Clove hitch to attach a rope to a stick
Fishermans to connect two ropes
Square lashing to attach two sticks together
Bowline to put a loop in a rope
Rolling hitch ( tauntline ) for adjusting a rope.
Truckies hitch to tighten a rope
Timber hitch to drag a load.
Siberian hitch for quick release ( much more secure than the old highwaymans)
As for the sheep shank I have only ever needed it once in 30 odd years of rope work but I would probably still be there if I hadn't know that knot.
And finally we make a Spanish windlass on the exam camp.
Just for fun this is a link to our construction camp.
http://www.laventrix.com/showthread.php?t=1862
If you look carefully at the drawbridge where the bridge lifting rope is tied to the upright I have since forged some spike hooks for the rope to run over.
The timber's used are Pine cores from the local plyboard factory.
Another link to the cooking camp if your interested.
http://www.laventrix.com/showthread.php?t=1722
Carl
 
#1-Bowline and it's variations
#2-Figure8 " " "
#3-Clove hitch
#4 Taughtline hitch
These can do it all in a pinch.
 
kmm said:
Practicing knots is something i do pretty often in the wintertime when i cant get out that often.
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Hey, that's a really good idea! Not that I'm telling anyone else what to do, but I can see myself easily grabbing a length of rope, leaving it here by the computer, and tying various knots while reading other posts.

(I don't practice knot tying as much as I should; but I like the idea of practicing without looking...going by feel.)
 
shadowknight said:
#1-Bowline and it's variations
#2-Figure8 " " "
#3-Clove hitch
#4 Taughtline hitch
These can do it all in a pinch.
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I don't disagree, but I'm not sure your definition of "all" matches others' here.

I can think of one thing a Prussik can do that none of these four can! ;)
 
honestly I know the bowline is a standard rec. knot... But I don;t find I have a ton of uses for a fixed loop barring a rescue operation....(at least any that can't be handled by a fig. 8 loop.) Lot of great ideas herefolks. But try forgetting what you should "know about knots and think of the ones that actually get practical play"
 
RescueRiley said:
honestly I know the bowline is a standard rec. knot... But I don;t find I have a ton of uses for a fixed loop barring a rescue operation....(at least any that can't be handled by a fig. 8 loop.) Lot of great ideas herefolks. But try forgetting what you should "know about knots and think of the ones that actually get practical play"
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I use fixed loops mainly for tie-down ropes that I want to keep in place for the duration of a trip. They're also good for handles and for a quick, non-jamming version of a noose for securing bundles like blankets, rolled tarps, sleeping bags, etc.


I tend to remember families of knots that go together. Also, I tend to follow the if it ain't broke, don't fix it train of thought, so I do a lot of things the same way, even if there might be a more task-specific knot that is a bit better for the application.
 
Watchful said:
Hey, that's a really good idea! Not that I'm telling anyone else what to do, but I can see myself easily grabbing a length of rope, leaving it here by the computer, and tying various knots while reading other posts.

(I don't practice knot tying as much as I should; but I like the idea of practicing without looking...going by feel.)
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A long time ago I went to school to train as an officer in the Merchant Navy and we had to take an exam in "Ropes and knots", at school start the teacher gave us a length of rope and told us to practice them ALL the time and everywhere we went. Now i only remember those i use when hiking. I cant remember any of the decorative knots.

Here at home, in front of my computer,i was using pencils before when practicing. If in doubt how a knot is made i look it up in my books, or go to some site to be sure. Great and useful past-time infront of the computer.

4236830585_342cda1347.jpg
 
I keep a set of knot cards and a little hank of paracord (~30") in my pocket. My wife makes fun of me a bit, but I take it out and make a few knots whenever we end up waiting around for things.

I also found a little knot tying card game at an outdoor shop. It's a deck of cards with different knots on it. I keep that in my desk and practice a few knots every now and again when I need a mental break from work stuff.
 
This is a great thread.....I recently started carryin a section of 55O cord on me to tie knots with....It has really helped me to cut way back on smoking.
 
The first list looks good maybe with the exception of the figure 8 loop which could be replaced with the bowline and variants for ease in untying after a good load. Another awesome "knot" is the constrictor hitch. Very similar to the clove hitch except with a extra tuck that locks off everything. Very good for tying poles or rods together on the end and uses minimal cordage.
 
adamajc said:
The first list looks good maybe with the exception of the figure 8 loop which could be replaced with the bowline and variants for ease in untying after a good load. Another awesome "knot" is the constrictor hitch. Very similar to the clove hitch except with a extra tuck that locks off everything. Very good for tying poles or rods together on the end and uses minimal cordage.
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I use constrictor knots quite often. One of the problems with constrictors is that they can be very difficult to untie. I find that if I put a toggle (stick) under the knot it makes it much easier to untie, without reducing the usefulness of the knot. (in the picture, it's a stick pen) Pulling out the toggle, loosens the knot.

toggledsingleconstrictor.jpg


Doc
 
RescueRiley said:
honestly I know the bowline is a standard rec. knot... But I don;t find I have a ton of uses for a fixed loop barring a rescue operation....(at least any that can't be handled by a fig. 8 loop.) Lot of great ideas herefolks. But try forgetting what you should "know about knots and think of the ones that actually get practical play"
Click to expand...

You mentioned a rescue operation. How about self-rescue? Scenario - you dumped your canoe upstream of a bad rapids. Your buddy throws you a rope, but it's hard to hang onto because the water makes it slippery. So you do a one-handed bowline around your body. You have to grasp the rope above the knot with one hand, and tie the knot (below where you're holding on) with the other.

One-HandedBowline.jpg


Doc
 
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