Page 247 - The Pocket Guide to Outdoor Knots

PILE, POST or STAKE HITCH

Purpose
As the name implies, this is a means of attaching a barrier rope or plastic tape to

a series of uprights, whether at road works, a country fair or a crime scene. It can
also be modified for use in fixing the end of a cord to an improvised handle to

gain extra purchase in pulling tight constrictor, frustrator and strangle knots.

Tying #1
Tie it in the bight by the simple expedient of wrapping the doubled line around

the anchorage point, and then looping it beneath the standing part to go over the
top of the pile, post or stake (figures 1–2). The two lengths of line will then

usually be led off in opposite directions (figure 3).

Tying #2

When attaching the end of a cord to an improvised handle, such as a screwdriver,

or other implement (see right), arrange it so that the loaded end is furthest away
from the retaining bight. This way it is quite secure; otherwise it is considerably