Some knots: 1.  Splice 2. Rope splicing in Ropework is the forming of a semi-permanent join between two Ropes or two parts of the same rope by partly untwisting and then interweaving their strands  Manrope knot 3. A Manrope knot is a decorative kind of rope button The original use of a manrope knot was to put at the end of the ropes on either side of a gangway leading onto a ship  Granny knot 4. The granny knot is a Binding knot, used to secure a Rope or line around an object  Rosebud stopper knot(?) 5.  Matthew Walker's knot 6. A Matthew Walker knot is a decorative Knot that is used to keep the end of a rope from fraying  Shroud knot 7. The Shroud knot is a multi-strand bend knot used to join two ends of laid (or twisted rope together  Turks head knot 8. A Turk's head knot is a decorative Knot with a variable number of interwoven strands forming a closed loop  Overhand knot, Figure-of-eight knot 9. The overhand knot is one of the most fundamental knots and forms the basis of many others including the simple noose, Overhand loop, Angler's loop, The figure-of-eight knot is a type of Knot. It is very important in both Sailing and Rock climbing as a method of stopping ropes from running out of retaining  Reef knot or Square knot 10. The reef knot or square knot is a common and simple Binding knot. The reef knot or square knot is a common and simple Binding knot.  Two half hitches (see round turn and two half hitches)

A knot is a method for fastening or securing linear material such as rope by tying or interweaving. The two half-hitches is a type of Knot, specifically a binding knot or Hitch knot. The round turn and two half hitches is a Hitch used to secure the end of a Rope to a fixed object such as a post A rope is a length of Fibers twisted or Braided together to improve strength for pulling and Connecting. It may consist of a length of one or more segments of rope, string, webbing, twine, strap or even chain interwoven so as to create in the line the ability to bind to itself or to some other object - the "load". Webbing is a strong fabric woven as a flat strip or tube of varying width and Fibers often used in place of Rope. Twine is a strong Thread or String composed of two or more smaller strands or Yarns twisted together Serine/threonine kinase receptor associated protein, also known as STRAP, is a human Gene. Knots have been the subject of interest both for their ancient origins, common use, and the mathematical implications of knot theory. In Mathematics, knot theory is the area of Topology that studies mathematical knots While inspired by knots which appear in daily life in shoelaces

Usage

There is a large variety of knots and each knot has specific properties and suitability for a range of tasks. KNOT (1450 AM) is a commercial Classic Country music Radio station in Prescott Arizona, broadcasting to the Flagstaff - Prescott Some knots are well-adapted to attach to particular objects such as another rope, cleat, ring, or stake. In nautical contexts a cleat is a device attaching a Rope. The traditional design is attached to a flat surface and features two “horns” extending parallel to the deck Other knots are made to bind or constrict around an object. Decorative knots usually bind to themselves to produce attractive patterns. Choosing the correct knot for the job at hand is one of the most fundamental aspects of using knots well.

Learning

The number of books, websites, videos, and other resources available to those interested in learning about knots is a testament to the value they hold for humankind. While some people possess an innate ability to look at a diagram or photo and tie the illustrated knot, for others the initial stages of learning are best accomplished by being shown knot tying methods by a person who already knows them. Knot tying skills are often transmitted by sailors, scouts, climbers, cavers, arborists, rescue professionals, fishermen, and surgeons. Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide Youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical mental and spiritual UserStan Shebs for a timetable --> Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet (or Caving or spelunking is the recreational Sport of exploring Caves In contrast Speleology is the scientific study of caves and the cave An arborist is a Professional in the practice of Arboriculture, which is the management and maintenance of Amenity Trees Work can include Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous Fires that threaten civilian populations and property to rescue people from car accidents collapsed A fisherman or fisher is someone who gathers Fish, Shellfish, or other animals from a body of water In Medicine, a surgeon is a person who performs Surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive Medical treatment that involves the cutting of a After mastering a few basic knots, the diagrams and photos become easier to interpret and use to continue the learning process. As more knots are learned, patterns begin to become evident in their structure and methods of tying. The learning of knots rewards practice and patience.

Applications

Knots are essential in many industrial, occupational, recreational, and domestic settings. Even simple activities such as running a load from the hardware store to home can result in disaster if a clumsy twist in a cord passes for a knot. Truckers needing to tie down a load may use a trucker's hitch, gaining mechanical advantage. The trucker's hitch, also known as the power cinch, is a self-binding Knot commonly used for securing loads on Trucks or trailers. In Physics and Engineering, mechanical advantage (MA is the factor by which a mechanism multiplies the force put into it Knots can save the spelunker from foolishly becoming buried under millions of tons of rock. Caving or spelunking is the recreational Sport of exploring Caves In contrast Speleology is the scientific study of caves and the cave Whatever the activity, such as sailing on the water or climbing on a cliff-side rock, learning well-tested knots prior to some hazardous activity introduces a critical measure of safety. Sailing is the art of controlling a Sailing vessel. By changing the Rigging, Rudder and dagger or centre board a Sailor manages the force UserStan Shebs for a timetable --> Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet (or In addition to safety, appropriate knots can prevent the necessity of cutting lines.

Knots can be applied in combination to produce complex objects such as lanyards and netting. A lanyard, laniard, or wrist strap is a Rope or cord often worn around the Neck or Wrist to carry something This article is about the fabric called net or netting For other meanings of net see Net (disambiguation In ropework, the frayed end of a rope is held together by a type of knot called a whipping knot. Ropework or Marlinespike Seamanship is the set of processes and skills used to make repair and use Rope. A whipping knot or whipping is a binding of Twine around the end of a Rope to prevent the fibres of the rope from unravelling Many types of textiles use knots to repair damage. A textile is a flexible material comprised of a network of natural or artificial Fibres often referred to as thread or Yarn. Macrame, one kind of textile, is generated exclusively through the use of knotting, instead of knits, crochets, weaves or felting. Macramé or macrame is a form of Textile -making using Knotting rather than Weaving or Knitting. "Knit" redirects here See also KNIT and Knitted fabric. Macramé can produce self-supporting three dimensional textile structures, as well as flat work, and is often used ornamentally or decoratively.

Properties

Strength

Knots invariably weaken the rope they are made in. When knotted rope is strained to its breaking point, it almost always fails in or near the knot, unless it is defective or damaged elsewhere. The bending, crushing, and chafing forces that hold a knot in place also unevenly stress the rope fibers and ultimately lead to the reduction of strength. The exact mechanisms that cause the weakening and failure are complex and are the subject of continued study.

The relative knot strength, also called knot efficiency, is the breaking strength of a knotted rope as a proportion of the breaking strength of the rope without the knot. There are many difficulties in determining an overall numeric knot efficiency for a given knot. This is due to the many factors that can affect the results of a knot efficiency test: the type of fiber, the style of rope, the size of rope, whether it is wet or dry, how the knot is dressed before loading, how rapidly the knot is loaded, whether the knot is repeatedly loaded, and so on. Fiber or fibre is a class of Materials that are continuous filaments or are in discrete elongated pieces similar to lengths of thread. A rope is a length of Fibers twisted or Braided together to improve strength for pulling and Connecting. With those limitations noted, most common knots have an efficiency between 40% and 80%.

While some rope splices can retain nearly the full strength of the rope when forming loops and bends, conventional knots are much more practical in most situations. Rope splicing in Ropework is the forming of a semi-permanent join between two Ropes or two parts of the same rope by partly untwisting and then interweaving their strands Thus the prudent knot user will always allow for a large safety margin in the strength of rope chosen for a task due to the weakening effects of knots, aging, damage, shock loading, etc. Factor of safety ( FoS) can mean either the fraction of structural capability over that required or a Multiplier applied to the maximum expected load ( Force In general, the safe working load is often specified as between 10% and 20% of the rated breaking strength of the rope being used. [1] For safety of life applications many other factors come into play which are beyond the current scope of this article. Experienced practitioners should always be consulted before using ropes and knots when safety of life, limb, or property is involved.

Security

Even if the rope does not break, a knot may still fail to hold. A knot which holds firm under a variety of adverse conditions is said to be more secure than one that does not. The main ways knots fail to hold are:

Slipping

The tension from the load causes the rope to work back through the knot in the direction of the load. If this continues far enough, the working end will pass into the knot and the knot unravels and fails. This behavior can be worsened when the knot is repeatedly strained and let slack, dragged over rough terrain, or repeatedly impacted such as against a mast or flagpole. A flag is a piece of Cloth, often flown from a pole or mast, generally used Symbolically for signaling or identification

Even with secure knots, some slippage may occur as the knot is first put under real tension. This can be dealt with by leaving plenty of rope at the working end outside of the knot and by dressing the knot cleanly and tightening it as fully as possible before loading. In some cases the use of a stopper knot or, even better, a backup knot can prevent the working end from passing through the knot, but it is generally better to use a more secure knot if one is observed to slip. The term stopper knot (or simply stopper) has three distinct meanings in the context of Knotting and Cordage. The term stopper knot (or simply stopper) has three distinct meanings in the context of Knotting and Cordage. In life critical uses backup knots are often added to already secure knots in order to maximize safety.

Capsizing

Capsizing (or spilling) a knot is changing its form, rearranging its parts, usually by pulling on specific ends in specific ways. Some knots when used in an inappropriate way tend to capsize easily or even spontaneously. Often the capsized form of the knot offers little resistance to slipping or unraveling. For an excellent example of a knot that capsizes dangerously, see the discussion of the reef knot used as a bend. The reef knot or square knot is a common and simple Binding knot.

Sometimes a knot is intentionally capsized as a method of tying another knot, such as the "lightning method" of tying a Bowline. The bowline ( or /ˈboʊlaɪn/ is an ancient but simple Knot used to form a fixed loop at the end of a rope Some knots, such as the Carrick Bend, are generally tied in one form and then capsized to attain a stronger or more stable form. The Carrick bend is a Knot used for joining two lines It is particularly appropriate for very heavy rope or cable that is too large and stiff to easily be formed into other

Sliding

In knots that are meant to grip another object, failure can be defined as the knot moving relative to the object being gripped. While the knot itself does not fail, it ceases to perform the desired function. For example a simple Rolling Hitch tied around a railing and pulled parallel to the railing might hold to a certain tension and then start sliding. The Rolling hitch (or Magnus hitch) is a Knot used to attach a rope to a rod pole or other rope Sometimes this can be corrected by working-up the knot tighter before subjecting it to load but usually a knot with more wraps, or a different size or type of rope will need to be used.

Components

Knot components

A: Turn
B: Round turn
C: Two round turns

Bight

Main article: Bight (knot)

The center part of a length of rope, string, or yarn as opposed to the ends. The term bight is used in Knot tying to refer to any curved section slack part or loop between the two ends of a Rope, string, or Yarn.

• A "bight" is any curved section, slack part, or loop between the ends of a rope.
• The phrase "in the bight" implies a U-shaped section of rope is itself being used in making a knot. Many knots can be tied either with the end or in the bight.

Bitter end

More a ropeworker's term than a knot term, the reference is to the end of a rope that is tied off, hence the expression "to the bitter end". A bitt is a metal block with a crosspin used for tying lines to, found on docks.

Loop 

A full circle formed by passing the working end over itself. Note that the term 'loop' is also used to refer to a category of knots (see 'Categories' below).

Elbow 

Two crossing points created by an extra twist in a loop.

Standing end

The end of the rope not involved in making the knot, often shown as unfinished.

Standing part

Section of line between knot and the standing end.

Turn

Main article: Turn (knot)

• A turn or single turn is a single pass behind or through an object. A turn is a component of a Knot. Turns can be made around objects through rings or around the Standing part of the rope itself
• A round turn is the complete encirclement of an object; requires two passes.
• Two round turns circles the object twice; requires three passes.

Working end

The active end of a line used in making the knot. May also be called the 'running end' or 'live end'.

Working part

Section of line between knot and the working end.

Categories

The list of knots is extensive, but common properties allow for a useful system of categorization. This list of Knots includes many alternate names for common knots For example, loop knots share the attribute of having some kind of an anchor point constructed on the standing end (such as a loop or overhand knot) into which the working end is easily hitched to using a round turn. The word " loop " has two different senses when used in reference to knots. In Knot tying the standing end of a rope is the end of the rope that does not have the knot in it A turn is a component of a Knot. Turns can be made around objects through rings or around the Standing part of the rope itself An example of this is the bowline. The bowline ( or /ˈboʊlaɪn/ is an ancient but simple Knot used to form a fixed loop at the end of a rope Constricting knots often rely on friction to cinch down tight on loose bundles; an example is the Miller's knot. A Miller's knot (also Sack knot or Bag knot) is a Binding knot used to secure the opening of a sack or Bag. Knots may belong to more than one category.

Bend 

A knot uniting two lines (for knots joining two ends of the same line, see binding knots or loops). A binding knot is a Knot that may be used to keep an object or multiple loose objects together using a string or a rope that passes at least once around them The word " loop " has two different senses when used in reference to knots. List of bends.

Binding 

A knot that restricts object(s) by making multiple winds. A binding knot is a Knot that may be used to keep an object or multiple loose objects together using a string or a rope that passes at least once around them List of binding knots.

Coil 

Knots used to tie up lines for storage. A coil is a series of loops A coiled coil is a structure where the coil itself is in turn also looping List of coil knots.

Decorative knot 

A complex knot exhibiting repeating patterns often constructed around and enhancing an object. List of decorative knots.

Hitch 

A knot tied to a post, cable, ring, or spar. A hitch is a type of Knot used for binding Rope to a part of a ship or other vehicle or object List of hitch knots. A hitch is a type of Knot used for binding Rope to a part of a ship or other vehicle or object

Lashing 

A knot used to hold (usually) poles together. A lashing is an arrangement of Rope used to secure two or more items together in a somewhat rigid manner List of lashing knots. A lashing is an arrangement of Rope used to secure two or more items together in a somewhat rigid manner

Loop 

A knot used to create a closed circle in a line. The word " loop " has two different senses when used in reference to knots. List of loop knots.

Plait (or Braid)

A number of lines interwoven in a simple regular pattern. A braid (also called plait) is a complex structure or pattern formed by intertwining three or more strands of flexible material such as textile fibers wire or human hair List of plait knots.

Slip (or Running) 

A knot tied with a hitch around one of its parts, contrasted. A slip knot (or running knot) is one of two different classes of Knot. with a loop, which is closed with a bend. A slip knot can be closed, a loop remains the same size. List of slip knots.

Seizing 

A knot used to hold two lines or two parts of the same line together. Seizings are a class of Knots used to semi-permanently bind together two Ropes two parts of the same rope or rope and another object List of seizing knots.

Sennit 

A number of lines interwoven in a complex pattern. Sennit is a kind of flat cordage made by plaiting thinner strands of rope or grass List of sennit knots.

Splice 

A knot formed by interweaving strands of rope rather than whole lines. Rope splicing in Ropework is the forming of a semi-permanent join between two Ropes or two parts of the same rope by partly untwisting and then interweaving their strands More time consuming but usually stronger than simple knots. List of splices. Rope splicing in Ropework is the forming of a semi-permanent join between two Ropes or two parts of the same rope by partly untwisting and then interweaving their strands

Stopper 

A knot tied to hold a line through a hole. The term stopper knot (or simply stopper) has three distinct meanings in the context of Knotting and Cordage. List of stopper knots.

Trick 

A knot that is used as part of a magic trick, a joke, or a puzzle. TRICK is an album released by Panic Channel on March 24, 2005. List of trick knots.

Whipping 

A binding knot used to prevent another line from fraying. A whipping knot or whipping is a binding of Twine around the end of a Rope to prevent the fibres of the rope from unravelling

Knot theory

A trefoil knot a mathematical version of an overhand knot. In Knot theory, the trefoil knot is the simplest nontrivial knot. The overhand knot is one of the most fundamental knots and forms the basis of many others including the simple noose, Overhand loop, Angler's loop,

Knot theory is a mathematical analysis of different types of knots. In Mathematics, knot theory is the area of Topology that studies mathematical knots While inspired by knots which appear in daily life in shoelaces Mathematics is the body of Knowledge and Academic discipline that studies such concepts as Quantity, Structure, Space and In knot theory the ends of the rope are joined together to create a mathematical knot, this prevents the knot from being undone. In Mathematics, a knot is an Embedding of a Circle in 3-dimensional Euclidean space, R 3 considered up to continuous deformations Various mathematical techniques are then used to classify and distinguish knots, for example the Alexander polynomial can be used to distinguish the trefoil knot from the figure-of-eight knot and the unknot (a simple circle). In Mathematics, the Alexander polynomial is a Knot invariant which assigns a Polynomial with integer coefficients to each knot type In Knot theory, the trefoil knot is the simplest nontrivial knot. In Knot theory, a figure-eight knot (also called Listing's knot) is the unique knot with a crossing number of four The unknot arises in the mathematical theory of knots. Intuitively the unknot is a closed loop of rope without a Knot in it

References

• Clifford W. Ashley The Ashley Book of Knots. Clifford Warren Ashley ( December 18, 1881 - September 18, 1947) was an American author sailor and artist The Ashley Book of Knots is an Encyclopedia of Knots first published in 1944 by Clifford Ashley. Doubleday, New York. ISBN 0-385-04025-3
• R. S. Lee. All The Knots You Need. Algrove Publishing. ISBN 0-921335-47-4
• Raoul Graumont. Handbook of Knots. Cornell Maritime Press/Tidewater Publishers. ISBN 0-87033-030-6
• Cyrus L. Day. Knots & Splices. International Marine/McGraw-Hill Companies. ISBN 0-87742-252-4
• Geoffrey Budworth (1999). The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Knots & Ropework. Annes Publishing Limited. ISBN 1-55267-986-1
• John Cassidy (1985). The Klutz Book of Knots. Klutz Press, Palo Alto, California. Palo Alto (ˌpæloʊˈæltoʊ from Spanish: palo: "stick" and alto: "high" i ISBN 0-932592-10-4
• Des Pawson(2001). Pocket Guide to Knots & Splices. Produced for Propsero Books by RPC Publishing Ltd. , London. ISBN 1-55267-218-2
• Brion Toss. The Complete Rigger's Apprentice. International Marine/McGraw-Hill Companies. ISBN 0-07-064840-9
• Allen Padgett and Bruce Smith. On Rope. National Speleological Society. ISBN 0-9615093-2-5
• J. C. Turner and P. van de Griend (ed. ) (1996). History and Science of Knots. World Scientific. ISBN 981-02-2469-9

See also

• List of knots
• Knot (mathematics)
• Quipu

External links

• Ropers Knots Page Practical knots
• Knot Gallery (GIF format)
• Rock Climbing Knots
• Animated knots (Javascript)
• Knots Index
• Fishing knots
• Oskar Kirchhoff's Rope Art
• Ian's Shoelace Site
• International Guild of Knot Tyers
• Notation describing methods of tying knots
• The Notable Knot Index
• Underground rope rescue knots