Page 125 - The Ashley Book of Knots

THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS

should be so treated. Among hundreds of old examples, I have seen

only a few knots that were tied against the lay, and these were all

of the button variety. It is impracticable to tie a neat STOPPER KNOT

in this manner, as the strands leave the knot in a helix contrary to

the la of the rope, so the ends cannot be laid up symmetrically.

l Be ore tying any of the STOPPER KNOTS, the rope should be seized

'-1 at the point where the knot is to be commenced, then the end of each

strand should be stopped. Each strand is then pounded with a mallet

to render it smooth. Although the strands of BUTTON KNOTS are
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, , . canvas-covered, M UL TI-STRAND STOPPER KNOTS are seldom treated in
. .

,

\ -Lt.-~, . that way.
. ~ .•. )
. A- Unless otherwise directed, the initial tuck in doubling the lead of

a MULTI-STRAND KNOT is below or outside and along the periphery

of the first wall or crown (whichever was first) and in the same

direction, and thereafter the lead is paralleled without crossing the

part that lies alongside.

In practicing STOPPER KNOTS, take three pieces of banding, seize

them together with a CONSTRICTOR KNOT, and, disregarding the fact

that they are of braided material, twist or lay up one end into a six-

inch length of rope, as in '1* 144. This structure may be used over and

over again, while a piece of ordinary rope disintegrates quickly under

the treatment after the strands are once opened. If four strands are

required make a FOUR-STRAND ROUND SINNET of the same materiaL

The tools required for these knots are a pricker ('I*99A), a loop

buttoner ('I*99C), and a pair of pliers ('I*99B), illustrated on page 21.

670. "Crowning" is mentioned b Steel in 1794. The Vocabulary

of Sea Phrases of 1799 gives both t e crown and the double crown.

The CROWN KNOT is seldom used unsupported. Generally it acts

as one of the constituent parts of a more elaborate knob. But Luce's

Seamanship (1862) recommends a single crown for finishing off an

• •
eye selzmg.

To tie a THREE-STRAND CROWN: Hold the apparatus as in the right

upper diagram, and tie the knot in a counterclockwise direction.
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Take one strand, and cross it over the next strand ahead. Take the

second strand, cross it over the end of the first-moved strand and

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across the standing part of the next strand ahead. Take the third

strand, and cross it over the end of the strand last moved, then tuck

the end through the bight of the next strand ahead (which, in the

THREE-STRAND KNOT, is the first strand that was moved). Draw the

knot up, and it will appear as in the last two diagrams.

671. The WALL KNOT is the exact reverse of the CROWN KNOT. If

either of these knots is turned u side down it becomes the other knot.

But as the stem of a knot leads rom the bottom, the knots ordinarily

are different.

John Smith mentions the "WALL KNorr" in 1627, Manwayring the

"WALE KNOT" in 1644, Blanckley the "WHALE KNOTT" in 1750, and

Falconer the "WALNUT" in 1769' Even in Falconer's day standardized

spelling and pronunciation had hardly been thought of.

Occasionally a rigger will tie a WALL KNOT in two-strand stuff

(marline), or an electrician will tie one in two-strand electric wire,

but generally the knot is tied with three or more strands. When a

WALL is used as a stopper, unsu ported, it is best to countersink it.

Lescallier in 1783 speaks of the" INGLE WALL KNOT," and Blanckley

mentions the "DOUBLE WALL KNOT" in 1750.

To tie a THREE-STRAND WALl. KNOT: Take one strand and bring

it counterclockwise under the next strand. Take the next strand,

and pass it under the end of the first-moved strand and under the

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