Top 5 Knots?

[rik_uk3]

Reef, fishermans, taut line, evenk and the humble shoe lace knot does my humble needs.

 

[Joonsy]

Like that, it is actually more of a proper stopper knot.

Must admit would not be on my list for that purpose, and you have to be careful with it apprently. Fails 65% of the time according to wiki.

That is why I said it has almost replaced it, if doing a demo, or planning on undoing it will use a clove hitch.

You have to watch Cloves, when not under tension from both directions they come undone.

That's why it is called a ''stopper knot''
The essence of a good knot is that while it should obviously hold firm in use it should also be very easy to untie after use, tied correctly the carrick bend is an excellent perfectly symmetrical knot that will not jam even after very heavy load or even when soaked, especially good in thicker ropes,
The fact a knot is hard to untie after use is a bad choice of knot if it does need to be untied, a good knot is as easy to untie as it is to tie, that is differnent to a bad knot working loose.
Clove hitch if used correclty will not come undone when under tension from one end only if you load the '''Correct End''', it would not be a reccommeneded knot for climbing, as it is, if it was unreliable, it is important ''which'' end to exert load onto, if you examine a clove hitch you will see one end tightens knot and the other end loosens knot, you load the end that tightens knot it will not come undone.

That description sounds a bit like the Fisherman's knot described here, but not quite. There is also a double fisherman's knot.

There seems to be a bit of name confusion with the Anchor bend which is also sometimes called the fisherman's knot/bend, but looks more like a round turn and two half hitches.

The zeppelin bend mentioned in my earlier post is a superb knot for untying, even after heavy load. It's the knot I use to to join the string to tension my collapsible bowsaw.

The fishermans/double fisherman's (one loop or two over standing part) is a very good reliable klnot, it can sometimes be hard to untie after heavy load, if you tie a reef knot first then follow up with a double-fisherman's with the loose ends it is easier to untie after use and still very relaible, there is a proper technique for untying a double-fisherman's where you sort of roll the ends over to loosen the knot.
The Anchor Bend is a round turn with two half-hitches but the first half-hitch must go through/inside the round turn first.
The Zeppelin Bend is an excellent knot for joining, the essence of all good knots is that they are easy to untie after use, as is the zeppelin bend.

 

[smoggy]

I probably use many of the knots above although I may not know there all there names.....

One in particular I find most usefull (it may have been mentioned above but I do not know it's name) is the knot that wagon drivers used to use for sheeting a wagon/securing a load in the days before tie straps....

I use it for guy ropes and the likes and considerable tension can be achieved with little effort....I've even used it to recover a stuck vehicle with a long enough rope!

Maybe someone here could help with the name?

Smoggy.

 

[Joonsy]

I probably use many of the knots above although I may not know there all there names.....

One in particular I find most usefull (it may have been mentioned above but I do not know it's name) is the knot that wagon drivers used to use for sheeting a wagon/securing a load in the days before tie straps....

I use it for guy ropes and the likes and considerable tension can be achieved with little effort....I've even used it to recover a stuck vehicle with a long enough rope!

Maybe someone here could help with the name?

Smoggy.

Waggoner's hitch or Trucker's Hitch, different name same knot.

 

[Asa Samuel]

The knots I use most in no particular order are:
Re-woven figure of 8 for attatching guy lines.
Evenk hitch knot for tarp ridge line
My own creation for the taught-line knot where you take the cord behind the tree, tighten it as usual by taking the cord over the line then under and back round the tree, then I just make a quick release knot by making a loop over the cord and passing another loop through it, then passing another loop through that to keep it in place, it all comes un-done quite well with a tug on the free end.
Next for joining lines is either the fishermans knot or the reef knot. I use the reef knot if I know I will want to untie it quickly (say, if it's raining) and I use the fishermans if I want a stronger knot and it doesn't matter about the time to untie it.
Last I guess is just the standard shoe-lace knot, an overhand followed by a looped overhand which I use for tying up my hammock.

 

[Matthew.Passmore]

I would Say,
in no specific order

Evenk Slippery figure 8.
Clove Hitch
Overhand
Bow Line
Prussic

 

[Satyr]

Fig 8 (both re-tied and on a bight)
Barrel knot
Double fishermans
Tensionless hitch
Blakes hitch

 

[smoggy]

Waggoner's hitch or Trucker's Hitch, different name same knot.

Thank Joonsy, I believe even my memory may be capable of remembering at least one of those names for futire reference!

Smoggy.

 

[Minotaur]

The essence of a good knot is that while it should obviously hold firm in use it should also be very easy to untie after use, tied correctly the carrick bend is an excellent perfectly symmetrical knot that will not jam even after very heavy load or even when soaked, especially good in thicker ropes,

Not going to disagree, but it would not make it into my arsernal for those jobs because of the other better knots in front of it.

The fact a knot is hard to untie after use is a bad choice of knot if it does need to be untied, a good knot is as easy to untie as it is to tie, that is differnent to a bad knot working loose.

I think you also have to add in there the materal used. A lot of the modern knots have come about because of the inbuilt slippyness of modern materals. You cannot tie most knots into fishing line, and expect them to hold for very long, for example.

Clove hitch if used correclty will not come undone when under tension from one end only if you load the '''Correct End''', it would not be a reccommeneded knot for climbing, as it is, if it was unreliable, it is important ''which'' end to exert load onto, if you examine a clove hitch you will see one end tightens knot and the other end loosens knot, you load the end that tightens knot it will not come undone.

I use it, but I do so knowing it is the most unreilable of knots. I would love to know of any use a climber would put it to. These are the people who have replaced the Bowline with the figure of eight loop because they wanted something more secure.

The fishermans/double fisherman's (one loop or two over standing part) is a very good reliable klnot, it can sometimes be hard to untie after heavy load, if you tie a reef knot first then follow up with a double-fisherman's with the loose ends it is easier to untie after use and still very relaible, there is a proper technique for untying a double-fisherman's where you sort of roll the ends over to loosen the knot.

I think it is another way to tie the Bowline bend, but I am sure I have seen it listed as something Fisherman.

If you want to untie the joining thumb knot fishermans bend, leave more of an end to grab, and you can normally pull it apart.

 

[Joonsy]

I use it, but I do so knowing it is the most unreilable of knots. I would love to know of any use a climber would put it to. These are the people who have replaced the Bowline with the figure of eight loop because they wanted something more secure.

I think it is another way to tie the Bowline bend, but I am sure I have seen it listed as something Fisherman.

The clove hitch is one of the most frequently used knots in climbing, it is used for tying to an anchor (any immovable object with a sling and crab around it) when setting up a belay, it is one of the most common knots used for this purpose, used by every climber i know including myself. The figure of eight is the most common method of tying in to harness, however in America a version of the bowline called the ''Yosemite Bowline'' is still frequently used. The overhand knot is now a very common knot used for joining climbing rope, used because it has a tendency not to get stuck in cracks etc: because the knot lies on one side leaving the rope in-line.

Tie a bowline in one rope, take the end of second rope and pass it through the loop of other bowline, take the end round back of loop and then back through the loop exiting same way as it entered, then tie another bowline to finish, when examined what you have is a bowline both ends with a reef knot in the middle. Don't know if that's what you mean.

 

[Minotaur]

The clove hitch is one of the most frequently used knots in climbing, it is used for tying to an anchor (any immovable object with a sling and crab around it) when setting up a belay, it is one of the most common knots used for this purpose, used by every climber i know including myself.

Interesting would have never thought of using it like that but it does make sense. Seems to be them using its bad habits against itself.

The figure of eight is the most common method of tying in to harness, however in America a version of the bowline called the ''Yosemite Bowline'' is still frequently used.

Must have tied more figure of eights than any other knot. One of my bad habits is to change guy ropes over to them.

The bowline looks interesting, basically a way to lock off a normal bowline.

The overhand knot is now a very common knot used for joining climbing rope, used because it has a tendency not to get stuck in cracks etc: because the knot lies on one side leaving the rope in-line.

Not sure what you mean? Are you talking about just tieing them together using an overhand knot? They fail, and jam like crazy.

Tie a bowline in one rope, take the end of second rope and pass it through the loop of other bowline, take the end round back of loop and then back through the loop exiting same way as it entered, then tie another bowline to finish, when examined what you have is a bowline both ends with a reef knot in the middle. Don't know if that's what you mean.

Basically yes. It is used to join two ropes together, and works really well regardless of thickness. They use it for joining fishing lines together.

 

[Nightwalker]

Most of the time I only use three in Bushcraft:

• Evenk Knot
• Adjustable Cawley Hitch
• Prussik Knot

All of which are shown here. Then there's one I use when fishing, but I don't know what its called! Thought it might have been a blood-knot, but it isn't.

 

[jimfbte]

Since I am a knot knut, and a bit of a bean counter, here are some stats so far...Name of knot and number favored...

Fishermans (single or double) - 6
Clove Hitch - 5
Evenk - 5
Round turn and 2 half hitches - 4
Sheet Bend - 4
Tautline Hitch - 4
Figure 8 (variations) - 4
Constrictor - 3
Prussik (variations) - 3
Bowline - 3
Reef (square) - 3
Overhand - 2
Trucker's Hitch -2
Shoelace - 2
Sheepshank - 1
Timber Hitch - 1
Klemheist - 1
Anchor Bend - 1
Carrick - 1
Ashley Stopper - 1
Zeppelin - 1
Barrell - 1
Tensionless Hitch - 1
Blake Hitch - 1
Cawley - 1

===========

To that I will add my 5 most used knots:

Fisherman's Bend (single and double)
Bowline (variations)
Clove (or Constrictor variation)
Adjustable Girth Hitch (similar to Tautline)
Figure 8 (variations)

 

[Minotaur]

Last I guess is just the standard shoe-lace knot, an overhand followed by a looped overhand which I use for tying up my hammock.

Reef knot. It is has its own name which I think is the Handcuff Knot, but basically just a reef knot, but the second overhand is tied in/on bight.

Reef, ... and the humble shoe lace knot does my humble needs.

They are the same knot, or should be, so you are one short.

Since I am a knot knut, and a bit of a bean counter, here are some stats so far...Name of knot and number favored...

Good Job on that, was wondering if anyone was going to count them up.

I think the two shoelace could be turned into reefs, which means my surprise that the reef is not higher up, was just bad counting.

Klemheist is interesting, a Prusik style knot that works in webbing as well.

Was also going to add that no one has said larks head, the Prusik root knot.

 

[spandit]

1) Frosts knot - for my hammock ends
2) Perfection loop - better than a bowline in synthetic rope
3) Larks foot - didn't even realise this was a knot
4) Locked Brummel - a splice rather than a knot
5) Sheet bend - easy to tie & works well

Also quite like the Alpine butterfly loop but when tying a truckers hitch I generally use a slip loop (don't know the name of it but it comes free if you pull the rope taught)

 

[Paul_B]

Some scarily knowledgeable knot people on here. I'm knot that knowledgeable but one year as a little extra Xmas pressie a ball of string and a book on knots. MY main pressie that day got left forlornly in its packet while I went through all the knots I could understand. Well I was young and I couldn't get my hand around the descriptions and the drawings. It can be hard to follow when very young. When I got to cubs I didn't need much teaching (corrected one leader when his reef knot turned out to be a granny, made me snigger).

Anyway, I don't use many knots (I use mini-lineloks on my tarp as I'm often too tired to think straight when pitching). My knots I do use are clove hitch (used to tie dyneema line from tarp to pole and allow it to act as a guy for the rest. The I use a one round turn and two half hitches (sometimes around rocks when I can't get pegs into the ground securely enough for my tarp). Then I also use the figure of eight (with a stopper knot which I can't remember the name of but it goes round it twice crossing over itself I think then through itself which would be my fourth knot). These last two are for climbing with. I also know the bowline but I was always taught that the fig 8 was a better know for climbing and got looked down on by my mountaineering club peers if I tried to use one. Most climbing walls actually prefer you to use the fig 8. Which makes me ask which of the two are best for tying on? Some mates all use the bowline because it doesn't lock when you take a fall. I'll stick to the stronger fig 8 though.

Now by my reckoning that is 5 knots (one I can't name). I obviously know a few more but these are the only ones I can think are useful to me in my life. I know the sheep shank, sheet bend, overhand, etc. etc, etc. They are just not ones I find a need for. I used to like the highwayman's hitch too but that was for the fun of it.

I of course bow down in the presence of you lot of master knotsmen!!

 

[Loenja]

i use way more than 5, im also a bit of a knots guy
but here are some of my favs
reef know
bowline
clove hitch
(i think you call it the truckers hitch) i use my own variant though
guyline hitch

like most of the other suggestions too
Lonja

 

[Jinsin456]

Funny enough Jason and I actually had this discussion about a week ago, I think it really comes down to what is required of the knot and it's use, I went through a phase of trying to learn as much as I could but forgot most simply because I wasn't using them on a regular basis so the ones I remember are the ones I need:

Evenk hitch - Tying hammock up and general 'hitching' for quick release.
Truckers hitch - Ridge line.
Taut line hitch - Guylines for tarps, tents etc.
Prussic - For tarp and hanging stuff from ridge line.
Clove hitch - Another quick hitch I mainly use when ground dwelling to hitch onto things.

I probably use a few more but not on any regular basis eg. My hammock has been modded using a double fisher mans, I can tie it 9 times out of 10 but as it has been done there is no need for me to have to do it again. Apart from joining or shortening rope which I hardly ever do I think I would be hard pushed to find any use for any other knots in the bushcraft I practice.

 

[Grooveski]

My most used five are:

Fig 8
Bowline
Double Fishermans
Reef
Truckers hitch

 

[filcon]

Running bowline
bowline
clove hitch
chairknot
roundturn and two half hitches

phil firealman