Page 45 - The Ashley Book of Knots

THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOT:;

182. In Diderot's Encyclopedia (1762) a split-tip method is given

of threading a bristle, which starts in the same manner as '#: 179, but

the thread is laid up with only one of the two legs and then a

MARLINGSPIKE HITCH ('#: 2030) is tied around the other leg, which

prevents the first from untwisting. It is done by looping the thread

and taking a SINGLE HITCH ('#: I 594) over the hide end of the bristle.

This method of nearly two hundred years ago is still to be found

in daily use.

The Burglar

I would do nothing to encourage the activities of this archenemy

of society, but I will urge him to consider the awful sequence of

the following knots with all its direful implications: the BASKET

HITCH ('#:2155), the HANDCUFF KNOT ('#:412), and the HANGMAN'S
182.

KNOT ('#: 366). If his interest is a morbid one he can find several more

HANGMAN'S KNOTS in the chapter oc nooses. And if he has any

choice, I am told that the last wish of the hangee is always granted.

The Butcher

183. BUTCHER'S KNOTS are required in tying up "boned and rolled

roasts" and in preparing corned beef and salt pork for pickling. After

passing an end of twine around the meat a simple noose of some sort

is made around the standing part of the twine. When this noose has

been drawn up and held taut, the standing part is half hitched around

the end. This is done by first taking a right round turn with the

standing part around the tips of the left thumb and two or three ad-

joining fingers. The thumb and three fingers then grasp the end of

the twine and the round turn is transferred to the knot, automatically

forming a HALF HITCH, which renders all secure.

183

184. This final hitch is the salient feature of the BUTCHER'S KNOT,

and it is so very efficient that any complication that will hold to-

gether while being drawn u around the meat will serve as the first

part of a BUTCHER'S KNOT or a roast, which is hove taut, hitched,

and shoved across the counter while you wait. The hitch is put
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,84 around the end, not the end through the hitch .

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For pickling and corning, however, something more is required.

The noose must jam sufficiently to hold the meat firmly for sev-

eral weeks until it is sufficiently pickled. During this rocess the

meat shrinks constantly and the knot has to be tightene from time

to time. The final hitch is not added until the pickling is concluded.

185. A SQUARE KNOT is tied and then capsized into a REVERSE

HITCH, and the standing part is then half hitched around the end

as already described. This is one of the commonest and also poorest

of the series. It is apt to slip considerably in the drawing up, and

occasionally spills and has to be retied.