Which knot for paracord compression straps?

boing

boing

Joined
Dec 11, 2003
Messages
170
It would be cheap, handy, and customizable to be able to fashion compression straps out of paracord. Is there a knot that would allow one-handed tightening by pulling on one of the loose ends, while keeping the item held in place/compacted with the other hand? Being able to undo the thing would be a plus, too. ;)

I'm thinking mostly of tying up my bedroll into a long tube, with several short lengths of strapping. But I always have other items that could stand to be made smaller, without the semi-permanent use of zip ties.
 
A Jam knot is about the most useful knot for lashing and/or compressing things together. Never seen it online though and it is NOT the jam knot you see in fishing.

Only place I have seen it described is one of Mors Kochanski's booklets, unfortunately I don't think it is in his book.
 
Yeah truckers hitch, I use the alpine, linemans aka butterfly knot instead of the slip knot. A couple of extra loops on the line you can really crank down a load. All of these knots are easily untied.
 
Trucker's hitch is the way to go.


I use it for many apps that require tightening or re-tightening.





"If you're not living on the edge, …you're taking up too much space."

Big Mike
 
OK, I've been playing with the trucker's hitch, but I can't see how it'll work. It requires a final securing knot to finish it off after the tightening step. That knot has to be tied onto one side of the loop that has already been cinched tight around the item (bedroll, in this case).

Am I missing something?
 
boing said:
OK, I've been playing with the trucker's hitch, but I can't see how it'll work. It requires a final securing knot to finish it off after the tightening step. That knot has to be tied onto one side of the loop that has already been cinched tight around the item (bedroll, in this case).

Am I missing something?
Click to expand...

No, you're right. I thought the previous posts were missing that requirement in the OP.

doc
 
boing said:
OK, I've been playing with the trucker's hitch, but I can't see how it'll work. It requires a final securing knot to finish it off after the tightening step. That knot has to be tied onto one side of the loop that has already been cinched tight around the item (bedroll, in this case).

Am I missing something?
Click to expand...


You could tie off the end to another loop. If you're tying off the same thing repeatedly with the same bit of cord, something with set loops might be the fastest way to go. Or you could pull through the trucker's hitch and tie off to the standing end with a tautline hitch.

You could also just use a tautline hitch, but it's a little harder to get it cinched down tight without the mechanical advantage of the trucker's hitch.

http://www.animatedknots.com/rollinghitchboating/index.php
 
This may be totally lame but it's the best I can so on short notice.

I hope you can see what I mean, MS Paint is not a sophisticated drawing program but it may work.

I often tie camping equipment to my motorcycle and these knots are what I use. Take a piece of paracord and put a bowline at one end, at a distance you determine for your purpose tie an Alpine Butterfly knot. Loop the standing end trough the bowline and hitch it to the Alpine Butterfly knot after you draw it as tight as you can, the first hitch will be slipped, that is, have the first hitch bite a loop, snug the hitch down on the loop, take the standing end and lay two more hitches onto the hitched loop. All of these knots maintain the integrity of the paracord and all of them are easily untied.

2295472170033885154S600x600Q85.jpg
 
Ok, maybe everyone won't agree but, that trucker's hitch is pretty complicated and I noticed that part of it is another knot that would work great by itself. Why not just put a loop in one end of the cord. Then run your free end through the loop and tie a taughtline hitch back on the body of the cord. Here's a link

http://www.animatedknots.com/rollin...ge=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

The advantage of the taut line is it's very simple and easily adjustable, plus you won't have to actually tie and untie it to compress or unroll the sleeping bag. Just make your loop big enough to slide it on the bag then slide the knot to tighten it down.

David
 
David, I've been fooling around with the Rolling Hitch and I believe your right. A nice simple solution for compression. I didn't think it would hold on paracord but it works well. I don't think I would use it for lashing stuff to the bike but it holds better than I would have thought.
 
buy some spring loaded doohickies from a outdoor place, and presto, instant one hand ( and mouth) siezing of your load while you compress it with your other hand. I think it would be classified as a friction lock. The wheel style lock is the most effective as the tention on the load sets the holding strength of the lock for the most part, its pretty reliable.

Most every knot requires two hands to tie, not too many knots were invented by or for one armed men.
 
hushnel said:
This may be totally lame but it's the best I can so on short notice.

2295472170033885154S600x600Q85.jpg
Click to expand...

That’s exactly the kind of set up I meant when I said “truckers hitch”, though the links provided show it in the more typical application of tying down a tarp.

Two loops, one at the end and one at the appropriate distance down the line.

The tightening is done between the two loops, with a slip knot holding the load.

The tail end can be tied off for security, or left as is for quick adjustments.

This type of set up work well in a wide variety of situations where you may need to adjust tension on the line or are looking to compress something.




"If you're not living on the edge, …you're taking up too much space."

Big Mike
 
hushnel said:
I didn't think it would hold on paracord but it works well.
Click to expand...

It doesn't. It works great on some cords, but with paracord, the knot will bind to the outer sheath, and then the outer sheath will slip with respect to all the inner strands, and bunch up. The more load, the worse it gets.

southern bigfoot said:
I've got these and they seem to work well.

41ciBCKRJVL._SS400_.jpg


51099T0-oUL._SS400_.jpg
Click to expand...

No!!

Gadgets are not replacements for knots. If that things breaks, your done. Also, knots do not limit your load. You can tie them in a shoelace, or tie them in a climbing rope and it is the same thing. Load is determined by the rope, and not the gadget.


B
 
hushnel said:
This may be totally lame but it's the best I can so on short notice.

I hope you can see what I mean, MS Paint is not a sophisticated drawing program but it may work.

I often tie camping equipment to my motorcycle and these knots are what I use. Take a piece of paracord and put a bowline at one end, at a distance you determine for your purpose tie an Alpine Butterfly knot. Loop the standing end trough the bowline and hitch it to the Alpine Butterfly knot after you draw it as tight as you can, the first hitch will be slipped, that is, have the first hitch bite a loop, snug the hitch down on the loop, take the standing end and lay two more hitches onto the hitched loop. All of these knots maintain the integrity of the paracord and all of them are easily untied.

2295472170033885154S600x600Q85.jpg
Click to expand...

Nice diagram hushnel.

In concept, that is basically what the trucker's hitch that others have linked to is doing. Except that you are being more specific and stating how it should be started. With a bowline. A truckers hitch is really only half the overall "system."

The alpine butterfly knot is great, and is probably the better overall knot. But, if you use the loop knot shown in the other links, its main advantage is you just pull the string to get it out, versus picking the alpine butterfly apart. However, if you tie your loop knot backwards, it will slip. That is something they do not tell you on the websites :D

Ask me how I know all these little tips that don't work :D Been there, screwed it up!!! ;)

Both get the job done :thumbup:
 
It doesn't. It works great on some cords, but with paracord, the knot will bind to the outer sheath, and then the outer sheath will slip with respect to all the inner strands, and bunch up. The more load, the worse it gets.
Click to expand...

Yes, that was my initial thought, I only use this knot to guy out my wall tent with manila rope, but the OP was for compressing a bed roll, my testing convinced me that for this purpose it would suffice.

I chose the bowline and butterfly because I’m a knot nut :) and for the purpose of a semi permanent reusable rig. I think these are two knots that every one should know how to tie. We talk about many wilderness skills here with too little discussion of rope work, at least in the short time I’ve been around. Along with lashings and splices there are easily dozens of knots that add to better chances of survival in the broader scope of bushcraft, in the humble opinion of a self proclaimed knot nut, who is tempted to own two copies of Ashley Book of Knots :)

My major concern for heavy loads would be as you say weakening the integrity of the line and slipping of course.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm hoping to work on my knot knowledge this summer, and it helps to have actual problems to solve, hands on.

"We learn by doing": Capt. Kirk. ;)
 
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