I've done a bit of fishing, climbing and boating in my time so I'm not a complete knot dunce, however I am a bit rusty and in the mood for brushing up. So, from a bushcraft perspective, what would you say are the essential knots to have down pat? A top ten if you like. I'm not looking for tying instructions as I will hopefully know some of the knots already and their are plenty of references available for those I don't. Just looking for an idea as to which knots the more experienced of you find are particularly useful in the woods. Ideally, if you could specify the particular applications for each knot it would be ultra helpful.
Essential Knots
- Thread starter wistuart
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In no particular order...
Double Fisherman's Knot - provides adjustable length for my neck sheath sling, lots of other uses.
Alpine Butterfly - nice knot to suspend a neck knife with.
Bowline - securing canoes etc, a secure loop which is easy to undo.
Clove Hitch - looks pretty at the loop end of a lanyard.
Constrictor knot - closing and securing sacks and bags.
Half hitch / Double half hitch / Slipped half hitch - useful for many applications.
Klemheist knot - pretty knot with many applications.
Sheep shank - shortens long lengths of rope.
Sheet Bend - ties two ropes together.
Timber hitch - useful knot with many applications.
Trucker Hitch - attaching canoes to roof racks.
Those are the first eleven in my notebook.
Double Fisherman's Knot - provides adjustable length for my neck sheath sling, lots of other uses.
Alpine Butterfly - nice knot to suspend a neck knife with.
Bowline - securing canoes etc, a secure loop which is easy to undo.
Clove Hitch - looks pretty at the loop end of a lanyard.
Constrictor knot - closing and securing sacks and bags.
Half hitch / Double half hitch / Slipped half hitch - useful for many applications.
Klemheist knot - pretty knot with many applications.
Sheep shank - shortens long lengths of rope.
Sheet Bend - ties two ropes together.
Timber hitch - useful knot with many applications.
Trucker Hitch - attaching canoes to roof racks.
Those are the first eleven in my notebook.
Bowline
Round Turn and Two Half Hitches
Evenk slippery hitch
Taut Tarp (line) hitch
Stoppers like Figure Eight and Stevendore
Prussick (sp?) Knot
Rolling Hitch and The Looped version people use for guys
Joins like Bends and Reef Knot
Round Turn and Two Half Hitches
Evenk slippery hitch
Taut Tarp (line) hitch
Stoppers like Figure Eight and Stevendore
Prussick (sp?) Knot
Rolling Hitch and The Looped version people use for guys
Joins like Bends and Reef Knot
Hi I use a bowline,for initial anchor,taut line hitch?,for anything which needs tensioning,prussik knot,for tensioning onto a line already in place,double sheet bend,for joining 2 ropes of different diameters,Alpine butterfly,for putting attatchment points in length of rope,you can sort most stuff out with these,Brian
forestwalker
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
A standard prussik is fine, but a French prussik can be loosened easily when under load and can be made with fewer or more turns depending on the relative thickness of the two ropes, and a klemheist will work with pretty much anything ( e.g, tape on rope).
SimonM
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
A simple slip knot, locked off with a couple of half hitches for guy lines.
Round turn and 2 half hitches for tying lines onto something like a tarp. (I don't leave lines on my tarp, as I use it in different ways, so like to be able to untie them easily.)
Prussicks for keeping the tarp taught.
Evenk & taught line hitch for my ridgeline.
Clove hitch
Double fishermans knot on my neck knive setup - so that I can adjust the length of the cord to suit whatever I'm wearing. (Worn over one shoulder, with the knife under my other arm.)
Figure of 8 as a stopper knot
Round turn and 2 half hitches for tying lines onto something like a tarp. (I don't leave lines on my tarp, as I use it in different ways, so like to be able to untie them easily.)
Prussicks for keeping the tarp taught.
Evenk & taught line hitch for my ridgeline.
Clove hitch
Double fishermans knot on my neck knive setup - so that I can adjust the length of the cord to suit whatever I'm wearing. (Worn over one shoulder, with the knife under my other arm.)
Figure of 8 as a stopper knot
I only know a few knots, but they have seen me straight everytime. They are:
bowline (and, therefore, a running bowline as well)
double hitch
reef
quick release
and the one we all use at some time or another...
the 'haven't-a-bloody-clue-but-I-bet-that-bugger-won't-come-undone' knot. Also know as the 'sod-it-I-can't-undo-that-one-I'll-just-cut-it' knot.
bowline (and, therefore, a running bowline as well)
double hitch
reef
quick release
and the one we all use at some time or another...
the 'haven't-a-bloody-clue-but-I-bet-that-bugger-won't-come-undone' knot. Also know as the 'sod-it-I-can't-undo-that-one-I'll-just-cut-it' knot.
my favorite is the klemheist but use a prussik regulary aswell when climbing and i agree with you about jamming under extream loads especialy when wet. i think a french prussik is way over the top for bushcraft. also they can be unrelyable, if not dressed properly they will not grip properly. also they only realy work well with a pully. what do u use it for?
how has nobody said timber hitch?
its foolproof to tie and comes loose easily, perfect for natural cordage or one end of your ridgeline.pete
.how has nobody said timber hitch?
I did
Here is a handy knot guide from my brothers old 'Patrol Leaders Handbook'.
I'd say that the important thing is not which specific knots you know, but that you know at least a couple of knots for each of the important functions - a couple of hitches, a couple of bends, a couple of static loops, a couple of friction knots... There's no real point in getting too hung up about the difference between an Ashley bend and a Hunter's bend, or between a bowline and an alpine butterfly. As long as you've got a knot that will do the job at hand, you'll be alright.
Round turn n 2 half hitches (yeh old school i know but it works and is secure)
Constrictor knot
Double over hand --- as a stopper
Double fishermans Bend ---- two of above to get a variable rope loop or join 2 bits of cord
Taut LINE hitch ( as appossed to Taut Tarp RM very diff knot) --- used as a guy rope tensioner its like a rolling hitch but important to over wrap the second turn on the first
Klemhiest ----- to tension tarp hanging on a line
Over hand knot loop ----- to fix perminate lines to a tarp
Perfection loop ----very good loop easy to undo after loading and holds in slippery cord like thin bungie and mono filament (im told)
really dont like the Evenk slippery hitch never looks safe to me the load is taken by the release loop
i usually use the RM taut method of wrapping the tree to give the 2-1 pully advantage to tighten the rope then finish with a Slip half hitch and a couple of half hitches in the slip bight with the tail passed back thro the Bight as a safty
ATB
Duncan
but it works and is secure)Constrictor knot
Double over hand --- as a stopper
Double fishermans Bend ---- two of above to get a variable rope loop or join 2 bits of cord
Taut LINE hitch ( as appossed to Taut Tarp RM very diff knot) --- used as a guy rope tensioner its like a rolling hitch but important to over wrap the second turn on the first
Klemhiest ----- to tension tarp hanging on a line
Over hand knot loop ----- to fix perminate lines to a tarp
Perfection loop ----very good loop easy to undo after loading and holds in slippery cord like thin bungie and mono filament (im told)
really dont like the Evenk slippery hitch never looks safe to me the load is taken by the release loop
i usually use the RM taut method of wrapping the tree to give the 2-1 pully advantage to tighten the rope then finish with a Slip half hitch and a couple of half hitches in the slip bight with the tail passed back thro the Bight as a safty
ATB
Duncan
figure of eight
double figure of eight
figure of eight on a bight
figure of eight on doubled/tripled line (for rescue loops)
one knot covers most of the angles tied different ways!
double fishermans is useful to make loops for prussics too. (or a tape knot)
double figure of eight
figure of eight on a bight
figure of eight on doubled/tripled line (for rescue loops)
one knot covers most of the angles tied different ways!
double fishermans is useful to make loops for prussics too. (or a tape knot)
Thanks very much for all the replies guys (and gals!). Plenty to keep me going for now. I've got an assortment of cords rigged up under my desk at work so can sit practising quietly whilst pretending to be absorbed in the various boring tele-cons I have to attend each week.
That works just fine until the moment someone directly asks you a question and you realise you haven't the faintest idea what anyone's said in the last ten minutes... Believe me.
