Outdoor knots

troutfisher13111

troutfisher13111

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My goal this winter is to improve my knowledge of knots. If you could pick just a few knots to get you buy in your outdoor pursuits, what would they be? Limit it to maybe five. Thanks.
 
1. Bowline. put a loop at the end of your rope which won't get smaller

2. Constrictor knot. (my favorite) Self tightening. Great for tying bundles of sticks. Holds tight and will not work itself loose.

3. Taunt line Hitch. For tying up a rope between trees. Line can be tighten while the knot is still tied because it can be slid in one direction but not the other.

4. Sheet bend. Tying two ropes together.

5. umm...Let's go with the Sheep Shank. Perfect way to take up slack in a rope.

That's my list and I'm sticking to it! :D
 
-bowline
-2 half hitches (Keeps things tight, but you can untie it easily)
-clove hitch (sort of the same as the 2 half hitches, but it is useful for tying things up to a post)
-Round turn and 2 half hitches (great for tent guy lines)
-sheet bend
 
bowline knot - simple rescue knot (also the one handed bowline knot)
square not - to tie two ropes together
2 half hitches - Stake down a tent, tighten guy lines, etc.
clove hitch - simple knot to tie around a pole
Timber hitch - Used for tying to bundles of sticks or logs (self tightening)
 
There are quite a few sites that have good descriptions of knots... if you want to get something you can read on the loo, try picking up Des Pawson's "Handbook of Knots"... great illustrations, clear instructions.

The tautline hitch that Heavy mentions is a great one... it's actually just a rolling hitch tied back along the same line, though. :)

.02
 
My favorite is the tautline, and I actually use this one the most, even my knot when rigging up my fishing tackle.

then it's these other four:

square knot
half hitch
bowline or butterfly (both make a loop that can't get bigger or smaller)
clove hitch
 
FoxholeAtheist said:
The tautline hitch that Heavy mentions is a great one... it's actually just a rolling hitch tied back along the same line, though. :)

.02
Click to expand...

This is also the one that gets the most, "What kind of knot do you use?" when they see that your clothes line is not sagging like theirs is when you are airing out your sleeping bags. :thumbup:
 
The only change I would make is:
1) Figure-8 knot. Non-jamming stopper and once you know this one the F-8 family is very useful
2) Square knot
3) bowline
4) clove hitch
5) taut-line hitch
6) 2-half hitches
 
A couple of years ago i got my self a knot book the name is
KNOTS by Gordon Perry. He has all the basic and then some knots... The best part of the book is that its very easy to follow and learn all the knots in the book. I would very highly recommend his book. Actualy i got a few knot books and its the only one that i would even open now. I just found it to show how it looks

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&endeca=1&isbn=0760729964&itm=6

Sasha
 
I LOVE the uni-knot! I use it from fishing to securing a rope to damn near anything.
The next one I like is the Truckers Hitch. You use it to say secure a kayak/canoe to the roof of your truck. It adds tension and lets you cinch up on your load by giving it like a 5:1 advantage.
The figure 8 is a great stopper knot!
 
markhait said:
...
The next one I like is the Truckers Hitch. You use it to say secure a kayak/canoe to the roof of your truck. It adds tension and lets you cinch up on your load by giving it like a 5:1 advantage.
...
Click to expand...
One of my favorite knots.
Each time you loop it around, you get more mechanical advantage;
the force generated can be tremendous. Be careful, you can actually
break things (like canoes) with this knot.

Make a habit of examining your ropes.
If you use a rope where it may be abraded at one particular spot,
you can protect the rope with tape. In place of a rope-loop which
gets abraded, you can sometimes use a metal ring or carabiner.

Ropes made of modern materials are much slicker than old types of ropes.
Some knots may fail, so read discussions of this.
 
ashley's book of knots, an older boy scout manual, say like 1955 or so, chapmans book of seamanship, any of the three will be all you need.
 
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