Knots video

  • Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.

Simon E

Nomad
Aug 18, 2006
275
14
53
3rd Planet from the sun
Simon - I notice you tie the truckers hitch in a different way to me. I take the working end around the anchor before forming the bight - that way there's less messing around keeping the bight open.

Good call, I learned all my stuff from trying to follow the pictures in books, some of them leave a lot to be desired in the illustration department.

I will re-do the Truckers Hitch to reflect this better way of doing it :You_Rock_
 

scanker

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 15, 2005
2,326
24
52
Cardiff, South Wales
...and a different way to me too....now how to explain this without photos...just looking up my terminology...

I form a bight in the rope, pass it across the standing part and loop it under to form the top bend and top loop all in one action so it looks like half a sheep shank.

That gets me to the same stage as part of your video, with a "top loop" and a "bottom loop" surrounded by a half hitch (?).

Now, the important bit that wasn't shown was a half twist in the "bottom loop", this stops the half hitch from slipping out when the knot is tensioned.

When roping a trailer, the working part is formed into loop (I'll call this the "lower loop") and passed through the bottom loop and then the lower loop slips over a rope hook and the working part is pulled to tighten it all up. The working part is then secure to the same hook with a half hitch and reversed half hitch before moving on to the next hooks. That's what I was shown, many years ago, anyway. If you haven't got a hook and you have to go around an object such as a tree, you have to pass the rope through as you've shown.

Only thing to add is that you can then create more of these in the working part to make a pulley system for generating more tension.

There's also a different knot with the same name, formed by twisting the rope several times and passing the working loop through the loop formed.

I've yet to try a versatackle but it looks interesting.
 

swyn

Life Member
Nov 24, 2004
1,159
227
Eastwards!
Important point to note.... Form the first loop of the 'Dolly' AT the anchor point, this may involve bending if you have a low trailer (I hate rings and love hooks as you can imagine. A speed thing!) then stand comfortably and do the twist etc, then take the bight down to the anchor point. This method leaves room to work and enough line to tension well without struggling. Tension and make off with two half hitches and if there is any spare line form a rolling hitch to keep this spare line tight and out of the way and also importantly clean! (your line will last longer too).
I hope this is of use. Swyn.
 

swyn

Life Member
Nov 24, 2004
1,159
227
Eastwards!
Another note on specialised knots is which of these can be un-done under tension. Why you may ask. Well there are times this is as important as the knot itself and dictates which knot to use in the first instance.
For example...Bowline...The loveliest of knots....Will undo perfectly having HAD a lot of tension on it, but will not undo while under tension.
Round turn and two half hitches will undo under tension along with the Lightermans Hitch.
Just a train of thought to consider as this focusses on the peculiaritys of each knot and the thought process one goes through as your knowlege increases.
Simon E with your Constrictor knot. Thanks for the warning!
Swyn.
 

leon-b

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
May 31, 2006
3,390
22
Who knows
third the sticky to
you have rep mate, you done a great job with the knot videos
leon
 

Simon E

Nomad
Aug 18, 2006
275
14
53
3rd Planet from the sun
Thanks all.

Can I make a simple request?

Please copy the video to your hard drive if you want to watch it over and over for practice.

Just right click on the video link and choose 'Save Target As' and put it somewhere safe.

I have plenty of bandwidth, but with multiple views per file by everyone it may max out the site and I need some for my business as well lol.

Cheers
 

James_m246

Forager
Oct 12, 2006
112
0
Suffolk, UK.
I've saved them all too.

Maybe BCUK will host them for you and make a section on the website for them?
I think it would be a really good idea cause they will help a lot of people to learn knots.

I used to spend ages repeating knots so that I could remember them, I just learnt the Tarbuk in minutes!
 

Simon E

Nomad
Aug 18, 2006
275
14
53
3rd Planet from the sun
If Tony has the spare bandwidth to host video files, I will re make them with a specially constructed frame so that you can not only see the knot, but how is works. This frame would have a post for 'quick release' knots like the Highwaymans Hitch (good for Hammocks) and load bearing and sliding or ascending knots.

I am looking at getting a better camera with 640x resolution so that we can have a bit more clarity and hopefully better sound :eek:
 
Oct 26, 2006
7
0
49
Ontario, Canada
As my first post on this site I would like to say "Thanks for the great videos"
I have to say, for me , this is a great way to learn new knots.
 

Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,456
1,294
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
Well done Si - real nice videos.

Like Scanker, knots are something I enjoy. I love learning new ones (and re-remembering the old again - Icicle hitch, that's one I've played with before but forgotten about)

I love the different ways they can be tied. I first learnt the bowline with the classic, "make the hole, rabbit comes out of the hole, round the tree and back down the hole". Years later I was shown a method that takes about 10 seconds but it was good having that initial method to know what's going on.

The constrictor (include the clove hitch with this too) is another good example. It's good to know how to tie them if you've got the end of the rope but I think it's also useful to know how to tie them in the middle of the rope.
Just as a slight aside, I learnt my constrictor knot slightly different to you. In the version I know, when you bring the live end under the diagonal piece you go over the first wrap around then back under it - essentially like you've tied an overhand knot with a diagonal over the top of it. I have no doubt your version works just as well and looks simpler to tie.

The alpine butterfly also has a number of ways to tie and I'm still not 100% sure which is the "right" one or even if there is a difference in stregth between them. They certainly look slightly different....


One I learnt recently that I find extremely useful was shown to me by Mors at the Moot.
It's a variant on the Trucker's Hitch but I don't know the name. Maybe someone else does?
What makes it better for me is the speed of tying, it's ability to self lock if you want but not if you don't plus the speed of untying and removing ll trace fo the knot.

If no one can come up with a name or a good description, I guess I'll have to make a video too!

Oh and I'll add a vote for the Falconer's Knot. A very poorly documented knot and I would love to learn it as everyone recommends it!
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE