The Know-How of Knot Tying

By Jalapeno Gal77 via APN

When I think of tying knots, I think of my husband’s Boy Scout troop. (They are a great bunch of boys.)  Learning to tie knots can be one of the most useful skills you have in “being prepared.”  There have been numerous times I have moved or helped others move and kicked myself because I didn’t know how to tie items down securely.  This article will show you how to tie knots simply, through animations by Grog and a few You Tube videos.





Some Reasons we use knots:

• Fishing
• Moving heavy loads in the back of a pick-up truck
• Boating
• Climbing
• Camping (Tarps or hammocks)

Animated knots:

• Bowline;  One of the most used and versatile knots there is.  It’s easy to untie, and the rope retains most of its original strength.
• Figure Eight:  This knot is used as a stopper knot to prevent a line from sliding out of sight.
• Alpine Butterfly Loop;  Provides a secure loop in the middle of a rope.
• Barrel Hitch;  Used to lift barrels/Buckets.
• Half Hitch;  Knot used when tying a rope around an object.
• Double fisherman’s’ knot;  Commonly used by climbers to tie two ropes together.
• Double Over Hand Stopper Knot;  Used as a stopper knot it can also secure the stability of other knots.
• Square Lashing;  Used to bind together two spars that are at right angles with one another.
• Diagonal Lashing;  Used to bind together spars that are crossing one another at a variety of angles.
• Round Lashing;  Used to tie together two parallel spars.
• Shear Lashing; This knot is used to tie two poles together at one end allowing the legs on the other end to stand separately.  (Used to make tent poles)
• Tripod Lashing;  Used to tie together 3 spars to make a tripod.
• Rolling Hitch and Mid Midshipman’s Hitch;  The Rolling Hitch is used to take the strain off a rope with a fowl turn.
• Round Turn and Two Half Stitches;  Used to Dock boats.
• Truckers Hitch; (Haymaker’s, Harvey’s, Lory Hitch)
• Square Knot;  While this knot is important for the fundamentals of learning a half hitch or a half knot, it is one of the most dangerous knots to us when tying two ropes together.
• Sheet Bend;  Used for tying together two ropes of different sizes.  Great for making cargo nets.
• Taught Line;   Used for adjusting tie downs quickly.
• Clinch Knot; This line is used to tie your fishing line to the hook.

When It comes to knots, don’t be afraid of them!  Get out some rope and learn how to do them.  You never know when it might come in handy or perhaps save your life someday.  If you know of any other knots you would like listed here please leave a comment describing the knot.

Water proof knot tying cards that make a great addition to any pack.

The Complete Book of Knots

Keepin It Spicy,
Jalapeño Gal