Knots and rope work?

[Scorpion Regent]

Does anybody out there practice knot tying?  From securing a load for transit to setting up a awning or a sunshade I imagine knots can be useful for travelers.  I know that now days that bungee cords and ratchet straps are cheap and accessible, but nothing is as versatile as rope if you know it to work it.

 

[maki2]

I travel with a book of useful knots for camping and some extra lengths of line. No need to practice what you don't  need unless knots are  your hobby.  in full time nomadic life you will quickly memorize the knots you need on a regular basis.

 

[Scorpion Regent]

Sounds like you have a good system.  My people can get by with less than seven knots maybe as few as four.  A book isn't needed to learn these days, almost anything can be downloaded off the internet.  Of course a book requires no power, only light.  I have books, but if they were to disappear tomorrow I have enough knots stored in my head and muscles to make do.
So Maki what are your go to knots?

 

[nature lover]

A piece of rope box into a bar. The bartender says we don’t serve your kind here, so he exits. While outside on the street he tears at the ends of his self making all of the thread stand out. He enters the bar again and the bartender said aren’t you the guy who was just here and I sent you out. He said no I’m afraid not. ( frayed knot. )

 

[Sofisintown]

I know how to tie a bunch of knots from my past life experience. They are useful for all kinds of different needs.
For instance, I use monkey's fists for drawers pulls, instead of hardware.
But I use bungee cords a lot too, it is easy to hang them somewhere out of the way when not in use, and take less space than coils of lines all over.

 

[TravelingZombies]

My dad used to be a truck driver taught me how to tie many knots however I've learned how to do a number of other knots in the bedroom. lol

 

[sreesekelley]

half hitch, truckers hitch, bowline, and one I don't know the name of that gets tighter the more load you put on it but one yank of the bitter end and it falls off.

 

[Scorpion Regent]

one I don't know the name of that gets tighter the more load you put on it but one yank of the bitter end and it falls off.

That could be the highwayman's hitch, the sanpan hitch, or some other quick release hitch.  It's a line is tied to a stationary object right?
What knot do you use to tie two separate lines together?  sheet bend, reef knot, zeppelin bend, fishermans bend?

 

[Sofisintown]

What knot do you use to tie two separate lines together?  

zeppelin

 

[nature lover]

Thanks for reminding me of all the fun I had at Boy Scout camp. Now please help me remember how to tie all the knots they taught me. I got the badge it’s still sewing on the sash but I can’t remember a darn one of them something about a rabbit and a tree and it goes in the hole.

 

[Sofisintown]

Yup, and then 'it came out of the hole"
That's the bowline knot.

 

[sreesekelley]

"What knot do you use to tie two separate lines together?" I don't know the name of the knot. I learned it when tieing up cattle and horses. They couldn't get loose but one yank and the knot came undone. It wasn't two separate lines, just something attached to a halter or bridle. it's called a 'bank robbers knot' in this 3-minute video.

 

[Scorpion Regent]

 a darn one of them something about a rabbit and a tree and it goes in the hole.

Okay, the Bowline loop.   I could tell the rabbit and the tree story, but there is one crucial element that isn't clear unless you see it done.  So first you need to know some knot terms.  

Line, any rope in use is a line, this also applies to cord, twine, thread, etc.

The standing part, the section of the line that is being attached to or remains stationary. This is the part of the line that is be worked on or around.  

End, the end of the line. If it's not attached to anything it's called the free end. When it's the end in motion it's called the running end. When it is the end being employed it's called the working end, and when you are at the end of your rope it's called the bitter end.

Bight, when a line is folded so that it is parallel to itself it forms a bight. A knot tied in a bight is done in the center of the line such that neither end of the line is needed for it to be tied.

Turn, when a line passes around a object 180 degrees that is called a turn. It could be said that a turn is when a object is inside of a bight. If it helps you can think of a turn as a abbreviation of U turn. For clarity the object can be a rope, even the standing part of the same line.

Loop, section of line that crosses itself. The end crosses the standing part.
Underhand loop, where the line crosses under, or behind, the standing part.
Overhand loop, where the line crosses over, or in front of, the standing part.

Okay using these terms you can tie a Bowline.  

Form a overhand loop with some extra length for the free end, this length will be forming the loop of the completed knot. Bring the end up through the loop from behind (below). Turn the end around the standing part of the line and back into the loop forming a bight. Finish the knot by pulling the bight and the standing end away from each other.

Okay that may all seem like a bit much, luckily I can make this real easy.
Go to the sites listed below and look up the Bowline.


http://www.folsoms.net/knots/


https://www.animatedknots.com


The Bowline is the “go to” fixed loop for almost everyone.  It is reliable easy to tie, easy to untie and strong.  Like everything it has it's limits, but it's, arguably, the best fixed loop.

 

[Scorpion Regent]

Sorry about the tiny print.  I copied a lot of that from my notes and it didn't translate well.

Mod edit - I fixed your post, Scorpion, but now it's a little too big. :-D

 

[Scorpion Regent]

zeppelin 

good bend, ... great band.

I only learned the Zeppelin Bend about a year ago and I have to say it is growing on me.  I like it's symmetry.

 

[Scorpion Regent]

"What knot do you use to tie two separate lines together?"  I don't know the name of the knot.  I learned it when tieing up cattle and horses.  They couldn't get loose but one yank and the knot came undone.  It wasn't two separate lines,  just something attached to a halter or bridle.  it's called a 'bank robbers knot' in this 3-minute video.

That's a hitch, a knot where a line is attached to a object and that one is a quick release hitch.  Hitches are everywhere, quick release hitches aren't as common, but very useful.  Having one you can tie in muscle memory is a great tool to have, like when you need to break camp in a hurry.
I can't remember where I saw it, but there was a video of a clever horse that had learned to tug on the free end of a Highwayman's Hitch and release it self.  Sometimes it's good to have a hitch that's harder to get loose, but won't fail for nothing.    
So back to the original question, "What knot do you use to tie two separate lines together?"  Knots that attach two (or more) lines together are called bends.  Everyone should have a "go to" bend, whats yours? A lot of people use the basic square knot, which works, but it's better for holding bags closed than it is for keeping lines together.

 

[gizmotron]

I have found these knots to be bomb proof:



But I find this one knot to be the most useful for camping:

 

[sreesekelley]

"What knot do you use to tie two separate lines together?"

sheepbend but I rarely use it.

 

[Scorpion Regent]

A very solid bend.

 

[gsfish]

To tie two similar sized lines together I tie two overhand knots in opposite directions one in each line then pull tight. This is one on my keys where I also made a loop by passing one end back through the knot.

Guy