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The Knotting
Dictionary of Kannet
The Knotting
Dictionary of Kannet
Warning
None of these knots is considered
'safe' for climbing! The main purpose of this page is scouting, not climbing.
Reef Knot (Square Knot)
The knot everyone knows!!?!
This is a knot for tying the ends of a piece of rope or string together,
for example when tying up a parcel. Remember this is called a knot NOT
a bend, as it should not be used for tying two ropes together, especially
when your life depends on it, as it is easily spilt. Learn the knot by
name one of the parts Bertil, and the other one Sture. When they fight,
Bertil is stronger so he will get on the top. They twist, and the same
thing happens again. Bertil gets on the top again. They twist again, and
the reefknot is done.
Fisherman's Knot
For stiff rops and cords
you shall use the Fisherman's Knot. Easy to make, dificult to untie, so
don't use it on a good rope, especially if there is a lot of strain on
it. You should make it double on cords of nylon, or it will not last.
Water Knot
A third knot for tying two
ropes of the same thickness. Very strong knot, but difficult to untie.
Good for tying grasses, wet rope, and rubber together (e.g. for repairing
swimming goggles).
Sheetbend
The Sheetbend is a knot
that you use to tie two ropes together. Good both for thick and thin ropes.
Easy to untie. Use the Sheetbend (Becket Hitch) when you hoist a flag,
and the loop already exist. The Slipped Sheetbend is even more easy to
untie, just snatch the right end.
Lark's head
Very easy to do, it can
be done even if both ends are tied. Both ends should have the same load,
otherwise it will not be reliable. Use it when you want to tie a tarpaulin,
where the holes exist.
Round Turn
Another simple but useful
knot. Good to use when you are going to buy ice- cream, and have to tie
your camel at the drain pipe. There are many variants of this knot.
Timber hitch
Another knot that is easy
to do. It is important that you twist the free endaround itself. Check
this by trying to adjust the size of the loop. If it is impossible, you
have made a mistake!
Fisherman's Loop
A fixed loop. Quick to make.
The name of the knot comes from the time when the fishermen could not
write. Instead of a handwritten letter, the fisherman sen this knot home
to his fiancee, with the two knots a bit separated. If it came back with
the knots toghether, the answer was... YES!
Bowline
A fixed loop, very safe.
You can use it when climbing and lifesaveing etc. If your life depends
on this knot, you should do an extra knot to make it safer. Otherwise
it will not be safe enough, especially if the rope is new. Often learnt
by thinking of the end as a rabbit, and the loop as its hole, and as Elma
Fudd would say: The wabbit gows up, out of his hole, wound the back of
the twee, and back down into his buwwow!
Prussick
A very useful knot. The
knot is an fixed loop, which you easily can resize, just by moving the
knot. Suitable as a guy-line knot.
Clove hitch
A knot that is easy to make.
Usable when you want to moor a boat. Do not use to tie something to a
square post as it can easily come off.
Sheepshank
Use the sheepshank when
you want to shorten a rope, or relieving tension from a worn piece of
rope. You should load it, otherwise it won't be reliable. You can also
fix it with a toggle etc.
Jug Sling Hitch
A very useful knot. In swedish
it is called 'sack-knot from England', because the mealers used this knot
to tie toghether the sacs. The loop is a useful handle, or you can use
it as a hanger.
Whipping
Whipping is a good start
if you want to learn about knotting. Use a thick thread, with different
colours at each end of the rope. You need about 50 cm thread/end.
Credits:
Idea: Samuel Andersson;
Illustrations: Andreas Joakimsson; Scanning, layout & Internet version:
Jan Andersson. Thanks to: James Smith for the help with the translation.
