The Ashley Book of Knots is the authoritative encyclopedia of knots, at Google books.
International Guild of Knot Tyers and their forum.
A nice video tutorial. Another camp knots tutorial.
A serious knot hobbyist's blog with a long links list. He works a lot with 'Type I' 1.5mm (1/16") kernmantle accessory cord which has a tensile strength of 100 pounds. I have a spool of silvery black 1.5mm kernmantle accessory cord that stretches and sags under weight more than I like, though it seems strong enough.
Here is an instructional knots site that has a lot of content yet is low frills with a simple design, which I like.
A fusion knot artist's site.
Vocab - standing line/end, working line/end (loose end that you manipulate), bight (pinched loop made in the rope), slip knot, half hitch, collapse (knot coming undone internally), capsize (knot shifting or sliding rather than gripping in place). Loop, hitch, bend (joining 2 lengths of rope), stopper knot, lashing, sinnet, lanyard, braid.
The dictionary definitions of 'hitch' are [noun] any of various knots used to form a temporary noose in a line or to secure a line temporarily to an object, and [verb] to catch or fasten by or as if by a hook or knot (eg, hitched his horse to the fence post).
Going over or under, and left or right, makes all the difference in the knot. Those are the details I couldn't keep straight when I learned knots as a frustrated soldier whose knots kept falling apart. Knowing the principles of knots, which I'm beginning to understand, helps to keep the steps straight. Still, it's easy to forget a direction even in knots I take for granted I know.
The most useful knots so far - meaning I can link them in my mind with real-life uses - are the trucker's hitch, to cinch down a tarp or load, and the taut-line hitch, to tighten or release tension on a rope by sliding the knot without the need to undo and retie the knot. Both require anchor points, like a tie-down hook on a truck or a staked tent peg.
It's obvious how the trucker's hitch works: the standing line first is secured on its end, make a fixed loop with a slip knot in the standing line (make sure the bight is below the initial loop or else the fixed loop will pull closed), run the working line through/around the anchor, then run the working end through the fixed loop in the standing line, pull down on the working end so that the rope is now pulling on both sides, when taut secure with half-hitch or slip knot below the fixed loop; the tension is held in the loop, not the securing knot, which is only locking the working line below the fixed loop. The trick is tying off the working line at the finish without losing the tension, which is done by pinching the loop.
The adjustable taut-line hitch, on the other hand, still seems like magic to me. I first learned the taut-line hitch from my battle-buddy in Beast in order to set up our two-man tent tight rather than saggy. Boy, did I struggle learning then retaining the knot. It was humiliating. The trick is to remember that the working line goes under the standing line to start the 1st loop as well as start the final D loop, 2 loops toward the anchor, then a D loop back up and around the 1st 2 loops, working end goes under the standing line and through the D loop, which forms a half hitch, cinch the D loop and done. I still don't understand how the taut-line hitch knot, which is attached to the working line, can both slide down to loosen and slide up to tighten the standing line. It tightens the the rope by pulling the standing line down through the knot toward the anchor, which results in shortening the standing line above the knot, feeding the line to the working line loop, thus shortening the over-all length of the rope, and the knot grips the standing line. Conceptually, I can't distinguish it from a lasso knot where the working line is also looped around the standing line, but can only close the loop and loosen the standing line. Contrast to the obvious mechanics of the trucker's hitch where the two lines pull against each other. The key mechanism of the taut-line hitch is the D-loop/half-hitch on the top side of the working line which grips the standing line and stops the knot from sliding back down toward the anchor. Don't ask me how it works, though. Sometimes, it doesn't work even though it's tied correctly, then after a little pulling, poking, and prodding, it starts to work. It's a mystery to me.
An adjustable knot which is easier to tie and more reliable than the taut-line hitch: Cawley hitch. So far, the Cawley hitch has worked 1st time every time, unlike the taut-line hitch. Add the Dave Canterbury and Ray Mears versions of the taut-line hitch. (Here is an illustration of Mears's adjustable knot.) The Farrimond friction hitch builds in a Prusik knot but is a bit more complicated to tie. The key step for an adjustable knot is dressing the knot by pushing the turns around the standing line together tight.
The Prusik and Klemheist knots are used to tie a line onto a larger rope in order to add adjustable attachments to the larger rope, such as for a (vertical) climbing rope or a tarp on a (horizontal) ridge line. They apply the same coil principle as the taut-line hitch to grip the rope when pulled. Any stopper knot or bend can be used to tie the ends into a loop. Note that while the ends normally are tied together to make an attachment loop, the loop isn't part of the knot. The Prusik and Klemheist knots work equally well when the ends remain separate.
The bowline hitch is useful for making a fixed loop that won't close (squeeze) or open (loosen) once the knot is tightened, unlike a sliding lasso knot or adjustable taut-line hitch. The descriptions say bowline hitches are widely used, but I haven't linked it yet in my mind to a real-life use other than pulling someone out of a hole or up a cliff. The mnemonic for the bowline hitch is the rabbit hole and tree (standing line or tree is behind the hole, not inside it) - rabbit (working line) runs up and out from the hole, around the tree, and back down the hole. It's important to remember, one, the 'rabbit hole' loop needs to face the working end (ie, tree behind and to the left, loop is to the right, rabbit comes up the right side of the hole, then runs counterclockwise around the tree and down the left side of the hole) and, two, after the rabbit is back down the hole, adjust the size of the fixed loop using the working line before tightening the knot by pulling up/out on the standing line. Once the knot is pulled tight, the size of the fixed loop can't be adjusted without loosening the knot. Add: A good use of a fixed loop is an easily slipped tie-down by running the working end of the rope through the loop and around something, eg, the same way the shoulder straps attach to the bottom of the ALICE frame.
The key to the bowline on a bight is maintaining the integrity of the initial 'rabbit hole' loop when closing the bight to secure the knot, which locks in the initial loop. This is done by only pulling on the side that tightens the bight; pulling the other side tugs open the initial loop. If the initial loop opens or rolls over, the knot turns into a sliding hitch.
For every reason I've used the lasso knot, the proper knot is the two half hitches. From what I can tell, they work the same way: the two half hitches form a knot on the working line that slides on the standing line when pulled to tighten the end loop. The two half hitches knot is supposed to be secure for larger loads, though, which the lasso knot may not be. You can wind (or turn) the rope around the post more than 1 time and tie more than 2 half hitches for a stronger grip.
Vindication! What I called the "lasso knot" is the basic noose knot that's formed by an overhand knot around the standing line. The quick-release hitching tie is a lasso/noose knot with a slip knot. The same slip knot is used for the quick-release Siberian hitch (aka evenk hitch, aka Ray Mears knot); the same slip knot can also be used to make the fixed loop on the trucker's hitch.
Quick-release hitching tie, halter hitch, Siberian (evenk) hitch. The main difference between the similar-looking quick-release hitching tie, halter hitch, and Siberian hitch is the standing line is inside the slip knot on the hitching tie, whereas the standing line is outside the slip knot on the halter hitch and Siberian hitch. In the hitching tie, the cinching loop on the working line (for the slip knot) is formed with the standing line inside of it. In the halter hitch and Siberian hitch, the cinching loop on the working line is formed outside the standing line, then the bighted working line is wrapped around the the standing line, effectively forming a loop around the standing line when the bight is inserted into the cinching loop.
The difference between the halter hitch and Siberian (evenk) hitch is the Siberian hitch adds an extra twist in the cinching loop to form an elbow before inserting the bight so that the knot effectively forms a figure eight around the standing line. When Mears rotates his hand with the working line loop around the standing line when he's tying a Siberian hitch, he's adding the extra twist to the cinching loop.
Ray Mears, in several episodes, shows each step of the evenk hitch which he uses to secure the 1st end of his ridge line, but only partially explains the knot he uses on the opposite end. In Bushcraft season 1 episode 3 (The Pemon), Mears includes a sequence in the episode showing how he sets up his tarp. He says 3 knots are used to set up his camp. He starts his ridge line with the evenk hitch. For the guy lines, he uses an adjustable knot variant (he makes 2 turns on the standing line started over the standing line, then cinches the knot with a slipped half hitch around the standing and working lines). The 3rd knot is the mysterious knot at the opposite end of the ridge line. In the truncated version on Mears's website, the description says "tarp taut hitch". The knots in this and this tutorial look like Mears's 3rd knot that "provides tension". I don’t understand how it provides tension. It’s not an adjustable knot. It looks like a slipped half hitch that he locks with a bight. When I try the 2nd knot, my ridge line slackens when the turn around the 2nd post shifts as weight is added to the ridge line. The tarp taut hitch looks like the backhand hitch with the only difference being whether the bight goes around the standing line or working line. Indeed, the Ashley Book of Knots includes both versions of the backhand or backhanded hitch - with the bight around the standing line (#1852) and working line (#1725).
I tie my shoelaces using a square knot with 2 slip knots. A square knot with 2 slip knots is as an easier method to tie a rescue handcuff knot, which traditionally uses a clove hitch base. The 2 sliding loops can be fixed by securing the working ends with an overhand knot or half hitches.
An easy method to tie a figure 8 loop is a figure 8 knot with a bight. The structure of a bighted figure 8 knot is the same as a figure 8 loop made by weaving the working end back through the figure 8 knot to form the loop. An even easier method to make a fixed loop is tying an overhand knot with a bight. However, the weaving technique is necessary if the loop must be tied around the post rather than slid onto it over an end.
Obvious but worth noting: A slip knot is just a bight cinched in a loop. A slip knot can be locked by inserting the pull-release end through the loop, which disallows the slip knot from being released. Ray Mears locks his slip knots by inserting the pull-release end through the loop as a bight and cinching it, thus forming a double slip knot. This keeps the 1st slip knot from working free on its own, but carries the same risk of accidently tugging on the pull-release end and pulling out both slip knots at once.
The clove hitch is a basic knot for lashings. It's the left-over-right loop, left-over-right loop, right loop over left loop we were taught to use to secure the clacker line on a stake for a Claymore mine so the firing pin wouldn't pull out if the line was tugged. (It also works right/left, right/left, left/right.) The clove hitch is also somewhat effective as an adjustable knot because it can be ratcheted and the working end can be secured with a slip knot or hitch. Its one advantage over other adjustable knots is the clove hitch doesn't need to extend along the standing line, which may be useful in limited space. A disadvantage is the clove hitch may be difficult to loosen.
For a sliding loop that can widen freely but won't close all the way, simply tie a non-slip stopper knot onto the loop below the loop knot where you want the loop to stop sliding shut. By the same principle, tie a stopper knot on the standing line above the loop knot for a loop that can close all the way but only widen to a preset diameter. To tie a mid-line stopper knot, I've used an alpine butterfly loop, bowline on a bight, bighted figure 8 knot, and bighted overhand knot (easiest). I tried a directional figure 8 loop as a stopper knot, too, but the loop slides into a hard to pry open knot when pulled the wrong way - bad idea. I can't think of a particular reason to modify a sliding knot like this.
Bart Simpson ([1F06] Boy Scoutz 'N the Hood, youtube): "The guys who wrote this show don't know squat. Itchy should have tied Scratchy's tongue with a taut-line hitch, not a sheet bend."
3-strand rope braid. I found 2 lengths of 3-strand braided rope with electrical taped ends. The electrical tape is old and its adhesive is dry. One of the pieces of electrical tape fell off and the braid under it uncoiled. I was surprised and made an incompetent attempt at rebraiding it, but more of the strands uncoiled while I tried. I finally wrapped duct tape around the rope before anymore could uncoil, but not before losing about 5 inches. I used the 3-strand rope braid to rebraid the loose strands and duct taped the end. The rope is tightly wound and stiff except for the part I braided, which is soft and loose. Lesson learned: Fusing the ends of braided rope, whether by whipping, taping, splicing or burning, is important.
I tried my knot set with the rope. I learned wider, stiff, ridged rope acts differently than kernmantle cord. Simpler knots work better with rope, eg, the taut-line hitch that's hit-or-miss with cord was the easiest to tie and most reliable adjustable hitch with the rope, whereas the Farrimond friction hitch that's effective with cord was difficult to tie and unreliable with the rope. Rope grips stronger than cord due to its ridges. Slip knots are less functional with rope and may ruin the knot because the added bulk of the bight may split the knot. I couldn't get the tarp taut hitch to work with the rope; perhaps I need to try the knot on a wider post. I have a blister on my left index finger from the rope.
I tried my knot set with the 91" 550 cord (minus 2 strands). It was a pleasure to work with - as soft and pliable as the 550 cord sheath plus thickness in the cord body due to the strands inside. Someday, I'll buy myself a spool of 550 cord.
A sinnet shortens a line with a repeating pattern, like a braid. Unlike a braid, a sinnet uses slip knots to unravel quickly. The simplest sinnet is the chain sinnet (aka monkey braid, caterpillar sinnet). The line can be folded on itself for a thicker sinnet that includes a longer length of line. I made this 'survival' ripcord sinnet bracelet using the 550 cord. The instructions say to use 12 feet or 144" of 550 cord. Since I only have 91", I couldn't make a full bracelet. For now, I'm using an old cheap keychain D-ring to connect the ends and close the bracelet. Alternatively, I could have left enough cord unknotted to have sufficient length to wrap the bracelet around my wrist and tied a stopper knot onto the working ends. The hardest part is making a correctly sized 'belt' loop on the base knot. The repeating pattern was simple once I got the hang of it.
I deployed the ripcord, pulled apart the ripcord sinnet bracelet, and braided the 550 cord into a cobra lanyard knot bracelet. It's easy - the pattern basically is a repeated overhand knot. The bracelet is longer with the cobra lanyard knot (8") than the ripcord sinnet, but I'm still using the cheap D-Ring to connect the ends. I'm considering bending a piece of wirehanger into a hook fastener for the bracelet.
I tied a ripcord sinnet bracelet using 12 feet of the 1/16" accessory cord. It was about 2/5" wide and more than long enough to go around my wrist. Then I pulled it apart. The bracelet came apart easily and quickly. I then folded the same 12' line into 3 equal lengths or 48", like an 'N' and tied a 3-strand braid. The braided cord is 39.5". The biggest challenges are making a neat, tight braid, and braiding as much of the strands as possible while leaving enough at the ends to tie off securely so the braid doesn't unravel. With a tweak in how I started (I secured the 3rd strand to the top of bend of the 'N with an overhand knot, which shortened the over-all length), I might have added up to an inch to the braid. Take care to tie the repeating pattern on the same side of the braid. If the braid flips over, there will be an irregular section in the braid where the braid pattern flips over. I don't know whether flipping the pattern weakens the braid. The braided cord is definitely stronger than the single strand cord, but how much stronger? Intuitively, it should be 3X stronger than the unbraided cord but I don't know that the physics of the braid is that simple. If the cord has 100 lb tensile strength, I'll just guess the braid has 200-250 lb tensile strength.
Taking stock of cordage. 3/4" depth x 6" length spool (100 yards?) of 1.5mm (1/16") kernmantle accessory cord, probably 100 lb strength. 91" 550 cord with 2 strands removed and slightly torn sheath, so roughly 450 lb strength. 40" 550 cord sheath, say 150 lb strength. 39.5" 3-strand braid of the 1/16" kernmantle accessory cord, maybe 200-250 lb strength. Roughly 65" and 67" lengths of 1/4" diameter 3-strand braided plastic rope, strength unknown. Assorted shoelaces, 550 cord strands, hanging wire, cables, packing cord.
If I had to set up a tarp in the field and could choose one knot per task, I would use a quick-release evenk hitch to secure the 1st end of the ridge line (eg, tree). I would use a quick-release trucker's hitch to tie the opposite end and provide tension to the ridge line. I would use Prusik knots to attach and adjust the tarp on the ridge line. I would use quick-release Cawley hitches to tie and adjust the tarp's guy lines (eg, tent pegs). The Prusik knot isn't a quick-release knot, but I would use quick-release knots to attach the tarp to the Prusik knots on the ridge line.
I now know - if I can remember them - non-sliding hitches: clove hitch, constrictor knot, sailor's hitch, rolling hitch, cow hitch, backhanded (tarp taut) hitch, timber hitch, tumble hitch ... sliding hitches: hitching tie (noose knot), Siberian (evenk) hitch, round turn and two half hitches, buntline hitch, poacher's knot (double overhand noose) ... adjustable friction hitches: taut-line hitch, Mears adjustable, Canterbury taut-line, Cawley hitch, Farrimond friction hitch, trucker's hitch ... fixed loops: bowline hitch, bowline on a bight, one-handed bowline, water bowline, alpine butterfly loop, figure 8 loop, directional figure 8 loop ... 'slide and grip' friction hitches: Prusik knot, Klemheist, icicle hitch, gripping sailor's hitch ... bends: square knot, alpine butterfly bend, sheet bend, double sheet bend, slipped sheet bend, slippery bend, double fisherman's knot ... stopper knots: overhand stopper knot, double overhand stopper knot, figure 8 stopper knot, slip knot ... and miscellaneous knots: handcuff knot, barrel hitch, whipping.
Eric
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