Square Knot or ABOK 1032

Many people refer to the Reef Knot as the Square Knot, but this is the "real" Square Knot. First make two small bights (curves) as in picture 1. The lower bight points to the left and the upper bight points to the right, then the main part of the rope curves up and around and then down. Bring the main part of the rope under the upper part of the upper bight, then completely on top of the lower bight (picture 2). Then bring the main part of the rope up and under both bights (picture 3), then bring it downwards over the upper bight and pass it under the lower part of the lower bight (picture 3). Dress and set the knot (picture 4).

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Matthew Walker

The Crown Sinnet

The Masthead Knot Mat

Household - shoelace

Matthew walker knot

Hold the two strands side by side with the ends curved down

As you tighten the knot, roll it upward slightly to form an X.

Cross the left-hand end over the pair of strands; go behind them and through the top left-hand loop to the front. Cross the right-hand end behind the strands. Then bring it around the front, across the strands from left to right, and through the upper right-hand loop to the back.

Friendship knot

Anchor Hitch

Slide 8

Taut-Line Hitch (Rolling Hitch)

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Diamond Knot

The diamond knot begins as a carrick bend with the ends exiting diagonally opposite each other

Each working end is then passed over the other rope's standing part

Then the ends are passed up through the center of the carrick bend from below. The knot is then gently rearranged and tightened so that the ends emerge from the knot parallel and opposite their own standing part. To finish the knot is further tightened by carefully working the slack out towards the standing parts and ends

Monkeys Fist

Monkey’s Fist

Slide 12

Carrick matStart with a clockwise bight, to layover with an . Run your working end under your standing end. This will bring you to the left side of the flat knot. Run the working end in a sewing fashion. (Over, under, over, under) This will bring you near to your standing end. Run your working end next to the standing end, following it through the knot. Repeat as necessary

Cow Hitch or Larks Head Hitch

Pile Hitch

General Hitches

Rolling / Magnus Hitch

Tautline orMidshipman’s Hitch

Blimp Knot

This can be used as a decorative "stopper knot" or "pull knot" at the end of a rope or string. To tie this knot, start with an Overhand Knot (picture 1), then follow the rest of the pictures

A chain sinnet is a method of shortening a rope or other cable while in use or for storage. It is formed by making a series of simple crochet-like stitches in the line

Chain Sinnet

Portuguese Sinnet or Solomon Bar or ABOK #2496

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Like the Braid Knot and the Chain Stitch, the Portuguese Sinnet can be used as a decorative "pull" at the end of a rope or string, or as a fancy handle, and so on. To tie this knot, I like to begin with a Slip Knot in a doubled rope (picture 1). Tighten the knot, leaving just a small portion of the two loops sticking out to the right (picture 2). Make sure that the ends of the rope are the same length, and they should be about three times the length of the big loop which is pointing to the left in picture 2 (you'll get a better feel for this as you practice a few times). The big loop which is pointing to the left in picture 2 will be the "core" of the Portuguese Sinnet, so the finished Portuguese Sinnet will be the same length as the big loop. With the two ends of the rope, tie an Overhand Knot around the big loop as in picture 3, then tie another Overhand Knot so that you have tied a Reef Knot around the two strands of the big loop (picture 4). In picture 4, notice that the end of the rope which is at the bottom of the picture is always on top of the two strands of the big loop, and the other end of the rope is always on the bottom of the two strands of the big loop. Keep this order as you tie Overhand Knots all the way down the length of the big loop (picture 5). When the ends of the rope are almost used up, my way of locking the end of the Portuguese Sinnet is to pass both ends of the rope through the remaining portion of the big loop (from opposite directions), then tighten the big loop (to lock the ends of the rope) by pulling the big loop from the other end (where you had tied the Slip Knot) so that you end up with two loops at the "top" of the Portuguese Sinnet (picture

6).

Chinese Button or ABOK #600

This was the knot which Chinese tailors traditionally used as buttons on dresses, jackets, night attire, and so on (The Complete Book of Decorative Knots, p.64). To tie this knot, lay out the rope on a table and follow the over and under sequence exactly as in the pictures. It looks complicated, but just take it step by step. Picture 4 is identical to picture 3, but with blue lines to indicate more clearly which parts of the rope are crossing over other parts of the rope. After you tie the knot as in picture 3, slowly and carefully tighten the knot and work it into a button shape (picture 5).

Hitching Tie

Use this knot to tie off your stuff sacks and you will always be able to get at your gear quickly. To untie, just pull hard on the free end of the rope and the knot will fall open. This is also not a very strong tie for climbing or other sports/extreme activities.

One-sided Overhand Bend

The Overhand Bend (One-sided Overhand bend) is a knot used as a simple method of joining two ropes together.

1 Take a Bight of both ropes.

2 Keeping the ropes parallel to each other form a loop.

3 Run both ends through the loop.

Leave tails of appropriate length for application.

If the ropes are of different diameters (or flexibility), the thinner (or more flexible) rope should be in the position shown in the image by the blue rope, and the safety overhand stopper should be tied with this.

Overhand loop

Blood Knot

True Lovers Knot

Shamrock Knot or Alternate True Lovers Knot

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The Sailor's Whipping

Slide 24

Ashley’s Bend

A superb bend invented by C.W. Ashley. It is easy to tie, very reliable, one of the strongest bends and very easy to untie. The only minus is, that it is a bit bulky, but the appearance is still quite attractive. To tie: Follow the first diagram to create two interlocked loops. Then pass the ends of the ropes down the center part of the knot. Pull on the ropes to set the knot.

Slide 25

Ring Knot

This is one of the best bends a beginner could tie. It is very easy to remember, easy to tie and quite handsome. The ring knot is a bit hard to untie and is a bit bulky, but otherwise a very respectable knot. To tie: Follow the diagrams, which will create two overhand knots interlocked

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This knot needs no definition. It is made with eight or nine turns and not thirteen as is often superstitiously suggested. Apart from its obvious function, it is a useful knot for the end of a lanyard

Hangman’s Knot

Slide 27

Ladder Lashing

Ladder lashing allows for a quick and secure method for constructing a ladder or for constructing a decking with evenly space decking pieces. This form of lashing has several advantages over the traditional floor lashing. Less material is required because unlike floor lashing a space can be left between each piece of the decking. Also, each rung is securely lashed in place by several loops of rope in much the same way as a square lashing; with the traditional floor lashing only a single loop of the rope holds each end of the decking in place, therefore if one piece loosens, the entire deck loosens. The ladder lashing has two forms; left and right, each is a mirror image of the other.

STEP 1: Lay an overhand loop over each side rail so that the running end of each loop is to the outside

START: The ladder lashing is started by using a clove hitch stopped with two half hitches to secure a rope to the top end of each rail.

STEP 2: Place a rung across the rails so that the standing part of each overhand loop is over the end of the rung and the running part of each overhand loop is under the rung

STEP 4: Then pull the loop over the end of the rung

STEP 3: Pull the running part side of each overhand loop behind and to the outside of each rail

Slide 28

Sailors Hitch

Draws up without working to form a strong, secure hitch that will not jam. It may be used as a way to tie a smaller rope to a very large rope. (The smaller rope should pull left when tied as shown here.) Push a bight through the final tuck to form a Slipped Sailor's Hitch.

Slide 29

Taut-Line Hitch

Since it will only slide one way, the Taut-line hitch is often used on tent ropes. The taut-line hitch will hold firmly on a smooth pole such as a scout stave. Place rope end around pole, make a turn below it, then bring rope up across the standing part around the pole and tuck through.

Slide 30

The Wall and Crown