One knot to bind them all.

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When tying off my oil cloth shelter, or constructing a primitive brush shelter, I use the reef knot, also known as a flat knot. Easy to tie, holds firm, & easy to untie.
Keith.
Tieing-a-fishing-line-022.jpg

A reef knot used to secure a brass wire leader on an 18th century fish hook.
Rawhide-Securing-the-drag-cart-021.jpg

Rawhide reef knots securing the joints on my Cymru/Welsh drag cart.
Keith
 

Wayland

Hárbarðr
I use variations of the overhand knot more than anything else.

I use it slipped to tie things off, I use it as a stopper knot and it is the foundation of many other knots that I use.

It is useful to know a few speciality knots but I encounter kids who do not even know how to tie this simple knot so teaching the specialities would be an uphill battle.

People often ask me what is the best knot for this or that and I usually reply, "The one you can tie in the middle of the night with water pouring down your neck."
 

chas brookes

Life Member
Jun 20, 2006
1,311
143
west sussex
I use the rolling hitch a lot for tensioning guy lines, but both already mentioned rank high on my use list.
The overhand knot even more since Mors demonstrated its versatility when constructing his survival shelter, using minimum amounts of cordage
 
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i swear i have a mental block when it comes to knots
no matter how much i see/practice a knot its almost INSTANTLY gone out of my mind.
i can remember how to tie my shoelaces but not really bushcrafty

i use evenk knot,prussic knot, timber hitch and clove hitch as theyre basically all i can remember
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
Round turn and two half hitches.
Ties a line soundly :)

I think truthfully though, it all depends. It depends on what you're doing, on what you're using, how easy you want to be able to do it (I'm with Gary on this one, middle of the night, half asleep and the wind crashes something free, tie a granny knot or two and suss it out in the morning when it's light, and you're not frozen and soaked through) and how easily you want to be able to undo it to clear away.
Sam's comment is I suspect the reality for most folks. A couple that they 'know' and the rest just seems like fankled ropes.

M
 

Buckshot

Mod
Mod
Jan 19, 2004
6,466
349
Oxford
I tend to use 3 knots for 90% of what i do
Falconers hitch - for tying a loose line to something
truckers hitch - for tying a tight line (maybe the other end of the falconers line)
Taught line hitch (the guy line knot) - for adjustable tensioning
All are tied in a slippery way to be able to undo easily.
all can be tied in any thickness of line. I've tied them in fishing line up to 2.5 inch diameter poly rope.

i know a few others but they are for specific tasks
 
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Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,446
1,284
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
There isn't one!

I like a good knot and know more than needed to get by.

I think if you have in your know how to tie one from each of these categories then you can cover most bases
- a loop in the end (ie figure 8, bowline)
- line to a pole / branch (ie clove hitch or round turn two half hitches)
- two lines together (ie double fishermans)
 

Macaroon

A bemused & bewildered
Jan 5, 2013
7,209
362
73
SE Wales
Surprised no mention of Bowline yet, much more versatile than you'd think, very strong and stable, kind to your cordage and easy to undo no matter what pressure it's been under.

I've used a good variety of knots, (horses for courses) but the Bowline is the one I turn to for preference.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
No mention of the sheet bend either....I know that more as a weaver's knot....even though it's the first knot in Ashley's.

M
 

Wayland

Hárbarðr
There isn't one!

I like a good knot and know more than needed to get by.

I think if you have in your know how to tie one from each of these categories then you can cover most bases
- a loop in the end (ie figure 8, bowline)
- line to a pole / branch (ie clove hitch or round turn two half hitches)
- two lines together (ie double fishermans)

Playing devils advocate here, I can do all of those with variations of an overhand ( Granny ) knot.
 

Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
6,438
2,859
W.Sussex
When tying off my oil cloth shelter, or constructing a primitive brush shelter, I use the reef knot, also known as a flat knot. Easy to tie, holds firm, & easy to untie.
Keith.
Tieing-a-fishing-line-022.jpg

A reef knot used to secure a brass wire leader on an 18th century fish hook.
Rawhide-Securing-the-drag-cart-021.jpg

Rawhide reef knots securing the joints on my Cymru/Welsh drag cart.
Keith

I don’t reckon a reef knot to be very secure, they can pull out, especially if one of the free ends is pulled back over the knot.

For most things I need a knot that’s quick to tie and easy to undo. So, round turn and slippery hitch for hammock straps with an extra overlock hitch when the hang is just right. Timber hitch if going around the tree with the straps. Prussic for tarp tensioning. Most used is the round turn and slippery.
 

Dark Horse Dave

Full Member
Apr 5, 2007
1,739
71
Surrey / South West London
I dunno about the knot; I use a few regularly as appropriate to the purpose: bowline, tautline hitch, clove hitch, overhand & variations thereof, truckers hitch (quite a bit more recently), reef etc etc - you get the idea.

Two knots which I most definitely don't use these days are those two Ray Mears & everybody else used to recommend to put up a ridge line, ie the Evenk & that other one that wraps around the tree to add tension; I've never got on with either of those two & think there are better alternatives. Still, each to his own eh?
 

Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,446
1,284
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
Yes that's the one Stew; anyone remember what it's called?

(I'm still using and enjoying the Dave Budd blade you handled and sheathed for me a while ago by the way; really like it!)

It is the knot that is on the Hennessy Hammock bag for set-up. It does make sense but yes, I don't use it either (and don't know a name)

(Glad to hear it! :D )
 

Janne

Sent off - Not allowed to play
Feb 10, 2016
12,330
2,293
Grand Cayman, Norway, Sweden
Had to look up the names in Englsh!

Roundturn and two half hitches if I need one line to be long
Reef Knot for the rest.
Unless I screw them up and they turn to a useful mess.

Knots are very difficult.
 

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