This is knot for everybody

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DOC-CANADA

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Apr 14, 2006
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I didn't want to hijack naked's thread, so I started a new one. I'm a bit of a knot junkie and one of the things I like are toggled knots. Toggled knots are knots which use a toggle (stick, Mini Mag, knife handle, Marlinespike :rolleyes:, etc.) as an integral part of the knot. One of the purposes of the toggle is to allow a knot to be really pulled down hard and yet still be easy to untie - by removing the toggle. You can even optimize this effect by using a tapered toggle.

A good example of a toggled knot would be a Marlinespike Hitch. In this case, the toggle is also used to provide a handle for pulling the line hard, which, otherwise, because of its diameter, (think 550 for example) would badly cut into your hands. And, of course, when you pull the toggle out, the knot disappears. My poor effort at a diagram of a Marlinespike Hitch:

MarlinespikeHitch.jpg




Now playing around with the Marlinespike Hitch I discovered that it can also be used as a hitch around an anchor point. Another diagram (I used 2 different colours for ease of drawing and maybe ease of understanding):


DocsMarlinespikeHitch.jpg


The purpose here, would be able to really tighten down on the knot and still be able to release it easily. Also a very fast knot to tie.

Anyway, I put it here for your comments, good, bad and otherwise. Be careful, though, I have more of them. :o

Doc
 
Thanks doc! I like the marline spike hitch. Your anchor point one is fantastic! j
 
Excellent Doc - I'm going to get a piece of paracord and play right now!
 
Doc - I hope you take this as praise for your post and motivating other users to get off their duff and do something. So I tried out your marlin knot and took pictures of the process. Hopefully the images add to your diagrams.

The dog crate was my anchor point.

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This is the key step that took me a couple of seconds to figure out from Doc's diagram. It is where you wrap the spike around the cord

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The pull the original loop out and wrap the back end of the loop over the spike tip

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The finished product

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When the spike is pulled out the knot simply undoes itself

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Thanks again Doc - now I have to practice this a bunch of times to get the muscle memory of doing it!!! I really like this one and think it will be as useful as my trusty bowline!
 
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Hey kgd, you did get right to it! Good for you. Good pictures too. Thanks for those.

I have another couple like that that are departures from their usual applications, that I will do soon. Maybe I should put a knife in the picture to generate more interest? :)

Doc
 
Here's another one for us 5 guys to play with. The picture shows you the conventional Toggled Bend and my variation that I find useful.

BTW, I say 'my variation' - as far as I know these are my variations, but who knows, I may have seen them somewhere and subconsciously filed them away, resurfacing later as an original idea. If any of you other 4 have seen any of these before, please tell me, and where, if you can.

Doesn't really matter, though, it's the knowledge that counts.

ToggledBend.jpg


Picture should be self explanatory, if not, please ask. By the way, the DX81 notation in the top right part of the picture is my reference to tell me where the original knot description came from (the description, not the drawing) in this case its from Knots, Brion Toss, Hearst Marine Books, 1990, ISBN# 0-688-09415-5 , page 81

Doc
 
Toss is a good guy. I like the variation on the second one, though it does look familiar.
 
koyote said:
Toss is a good guy. I like the variation on the second one, though it does look familiar.
Click to expand...

Hey koyote,

Do you know him, personally, or know of him?

You think the variations looks familiar, do you remember where?

Doc
 
Doc,

What applications would you use the marlin spike hitch for? Just curious on how you use it. Thanks for sharing!
 
Well naked,

I think there are a lot of applications for it, but for an example, my buddy and I are canoeing and he has to answer the call of nature (I paddle stern) - I can tie off on a bush/tree/root along the side of the river. When it's time to resume paddling, just 'pull the pin'. The thing about it is that the knot will knot (:D) pull up tight to your anchor point, so you wouldn't have to pull yourself back upstream to untie. The knot can be tied right along side of you. Another knot that can be used this way is a slipped knot bowline, but I like to play with toggles to see what I can discover.

Or when tying up a tarp and the only anchor point is down in through some scratchy bushes. You can crawl in there to make the turn and then tie your knot outside of the bushes. Some people like to put adjustable knots there, but the adjustable knots can be at tarp end and when you're finished, you can leave the ropes attached to the tarp, adjustable knots and all.

Also by tying your adjustable knots on the tarp you don't have to go too far to adjust, in case of bad weather.

Doc
 
Doc, have you ever looked at the Highwayman's Hitch? Sounds like another possibility.

The marlinespike hitch is really useful, especially when you practice it enough that it becomes second-hand. I once tied ratlines on a friend's 37' Tayana and used it to pull the whipping twine tight on all of them. Got to be very quick with the hitch by the time I was done. :)
 
FoxholeAtheist said:
Doc, have you ever looked at the Highwayman's Hitch? Sounds like another possibility.
Click to expand...


I really like the Highwayman's Hitch, in fact I modified it :rolleyes: I draw one more loop through to, hopefully, make it more secure. It's not the most secure knot in the world.

Sounds like another possibility for what? You mean for a toggled knot? The Highwaymans Hitch ties tight to the anchor point so that is for a different application, unless you have a different perspective?

Doc
 
Sorry, I meant it sounded like another possibility for a knot used to tie your canoe up. The only problem is remembering which end is the fall. :D

I've heard of people using it to tie dinghies up when there's a tall seawall with rings at the top. You lead the painter up and tie it off with a highwayman's hitch, then when you're ready to go, you just climb down to the dinghy, yank on the fall and go.
 
FoxholeAtheist said:
Sorry, I meant it sounded like another possibility for a knot used to tie your canoe up. The only problem is remembering which end is the fall. :D

I've heard of people using it to tie dinghies up when there's a tall seawall with rings at the top. You lead the painter up and tie it off with a highwayman's hitch, then when you're ready to go, you just climb down to the dinghy, yank on the fall and go.
Click to expand...

Yes, it would work for that. I just don't trust the Highwayman's Hitch that much, it can spill. Whether that would undo it or knot :D, I don't know. Of course, while sitting in a canoe, it wouldn't make that much difference.

Doc
 
Yep - I tried the toggle bend - worked out great as did your variation.

Regarding your canoe tie off application for the Marlin Spike. Does the spike stay in when the line goes a bit slack from wave action?

Thanks this is a good thread Doc. Also Happy CANADA day!
 
DOc-

I met him a couple times back in the day. Messing around on boats.

I have no idea where I recollect that variation from, again- messing around on boats.
 
I generally tie most of the knots with a braid to untie easily. The use of a toggle in the braid secures the knot.

dantzk.
 
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