Knots

[Gary W. Graley]

Knots have fascinated me lately, I've made a lot of lanyards that use Diamond knots, Wide Diamond knots and snake knots as well as a whipping knot to keep the lanyard in place.

But recently learned of a knot called a Reever Bend. This is the type of knot used to tie two ends of cordage together, either to end up with a loop or just to extend a length of cord. I've used it to make a loop to hang a bird feeder so it can be hung on a hook, using that knot made it much neater and also very strong.
Other knots I am familiar with such as the bowline, square, sheets bend, half hitch, clove hitch and the like, but I hadn't heard of this Reever Bend and quite like it's look and strength. Also you can untie it fairly easily but while tied, it's quite strong.

Here's one that I tied recently, I usually will tie it again every few days to make sure that I have the method down pat, otherwise it'll 'slip' away from me so practice practice practice

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

This is the video that I learned the knot from, he does a very good job of explaining, even for me...

So, I encourage you guys and gals to learn this one if you haven't already, it will be a good one to have in your library of knots
G2

 

[Blue Sky]

That one’s been showing up here and there a lot lately. I‘ve been having trouble with it, but I keep trying. Your video is better than the ones I saw, so thanks for that!

 

[Sled]

Excellent video, 1st time I’ve seen this knot. I’m putting it in my list.

 

[rhino]

Knots have fascinated me lately, I've made a lot of lanyards that use Diamond knots, Wide Diamond knots and snake knots as well as a whipping knot to keep the lanyard in place.

But recently learned of a knot called a Reever Bend. This is the type of knot used to tie two ends of cordage together, either to end up with a loop or just to extend a length of cord. I've used it to make a loop to hang a bird feeder so it can be hung on a hook, using that knot made it much neater and also very strong.
Other knots I am familiar with such as the bowline, square, sheets bend, half hitch, clove hitch and the like, but I hadn't heard of this Reever Bend and quite like it's look and strength. Also you can untie it fairly easily but while tied, it's quite strong.

Here's one that I tied recently, I usually will tie it again every few days to make sure that I have the method down pat, otherwise it'll 'slip' away from me so practice practice practice

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

This is the video that I learned the knot from, he does a very good job of explaining, even for me...

So, I encourage you guys and gals to learn this one if you haven't already, it will be a good one to have in your library of knots
G2

That's interesting. I use a double fisherman's knot to connect two cords together, but that looks better.

 

[Blue Sky]

The double fisherman works great, but when loaded heavy they can turn into a rock. I’ve had to cut them off more than once. I’ve found the zepplin to be a good alternate. This reever looks like it has possibilities, I like how the tag ends lie along the main line. If I can ever manage to learn/remember how to tie it, that is.

 

[rhino]

I have trouble remembering knots too. I used to keep a piece of para cord handy to practice while I was streaming stuff on the TV, but I haven't done that in a while. My list of knots that I can tie on demand without either thinking and experimenting or getting a refresher online is:

o Square knot
o Sheet bend
o Bowline
o Fisherman's
o Double fisherman's
o Slip knot
o A thing with half of the double Fisherman's around a short loop on the other end to make something that hold a little, but will pull through if you pull on it hard enough (for making a safety feature for neck lanyards)

 

[Gary W. Graley]

Nice guys, and that video makes it very easy to remember, but, I do still practice every other day just to keep it fresh in my mind. And if I were making it for a real life application I would also tie a whipping knot on each side to keep the ends under control.
G2

 

[rhino]

I've watched my twin nephews (they were both professional, sponsored climbers at one point and one still is) tying knots in climbing ropes and it's fun how deftly and casually they're able to do them. They use different kinds of figure 8 knots that are known to be more secure than a simple bowline and some others. It has me thinking . . . clearly some knots are superior to others based on the circumstances. Some are more secure under loads, some are easier to untie, some are primarily ornamental, etc. My question is, does the type and size of the line used affect whether a knot is suitable for a specific application? For example, are some knots more or less useful for suture material, fishing line, #36 bank line, 550 para cord, climbing ropes, tow ropes, etc.

 

[Blue Sky]

Most definitely, I would say. There is a lot of variations in rope/cord materials and textures. I’ve found two different brands of paracord take knots differently.

 

[jfk1110]

Personally, when I was doing tree removal a new 3 strand braided line was tough till it broke in....I'd use clove.hitch and half hitches till it wore in enough that a.running bowling was feasible....... The newer multi weave sheathed ropes are good from go.........Been a decade + though

 

[Wasty]

I still know about 20 or so knots, but forgot the names... My brain has forgotten them, but my fingers still remember.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

I found my practice cord with that reever bend and so I untied it to try tying it again, but my memory failed me and I went back to the video and learned it again, possibly because the cord had memory of the knots it wasn’t tying as easily so it would twist and end up not tying correctly, but after a bit of straightening it and patience I got it tied properly.
So it’s good to revisit knots from time to time to keep in practice.
G2

 

[BigMoney]

Recently learned the diamond knot. Use it to finish of soft shackles.

 

[Phydeaux]

Thank you for the posting on the reever bend. There is a similar knot that I've used called a Vice-versa. Basically a Reever knot but the working ends are on the same side of the knot.

Another knot that i use a lot is a Matthew Walker knot, it is intertwined overhand knots.

 

[Ebbtide]

Thanks G22!
That’s a good one for sure.

Most of my knot knowledge is based on fishing.
Some often used favorites are
The Trilene knot (IMHO the king of monofilament knots)
Palomar
Basic clinch
Blood
Dropper loop
Uni-uni
Albright
Spider hitch
Bimini Twist
Offshore Swivel knot

Gary is so right about practicing new knots.
I recently removed the hardened EVA foam grips from a good old surf rod and wrapped the blank with tarred bank line.

That’s a series of half hitches or the mother of all clove hitches depending on how you want to look at it lol.

The purple bits were planned to be Turks heads. But for the life of me I couldn’t remember it!
I looked it up & between the frustration and sore fingers I did three whippings and called it done.

I should have practiced!

 

[thebrain]

Many years ago I purchased a book of knots and rope work and I practiced quite a lot then but I have fallen off greatly in practicing. It helps to keep the book out and a few short lengths of different color and size rope around or even in your pocket when out and about. It's good for utility but also to exercise your mind.

 

[John A. Larsen]

In 1973 I went to the Ship's Diver Course at the New London, CT Sub Base. I was in the 10th Special Forces Group, and after two weeks was the Class Leader, and I think we had 14 sailors left. My biggest problem was I did not "Speak Navy" like we are going to have a "Field Day" which in the Army is a "GI Party" were you clean up the area, or go to the "GeDunk" which is the Snack Bar. What I did know was more than a few basic knots from Mountain Training at Ranger School. Guess who was the only one in the class who knew how to tie a bowline knot? Now the course was very well run, instructors were very professional, but I had to kid the Master Chief a little about sailors not knowing how to tie a bowline knot. He replied since they were all submariners, and not surface sailors so would not know about knots. At the end of the course we were told that when we got back to our Command "Have your Yeoman put an entry of NEC 5344 into your records." Translation "Have your S1 (Administration NCO) put an entry of Naval Enlisted Code 5344 (Submarine Diver) into your 201 file. John

 

[Ozmose]

I'm so jealous of people that can tie a bunch of different knots. For some reason my brain just can not retain that knowledge. Even the ones I've tied a dozen times before. I have to Google it every time. It's like my body has an immune response and purges it from my memory the second I'm done tying it.