Page 39 - Randy Penn Everything Knots Book

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THE EVER YTHING KNOTS BOOK

There is no need to break out into a cold sweat from the seeming
complexity of knot-tying diagrams. Learning knots from diagrams is
a skill in itself, and you may be surprised at how easily it is
acquired with practice.
It is important to remember that a diagram is only a repre-
sentation of a knot. It is simply a guide that you will translate into
what you do with your hands and the cordage. What may initially
look like a complicated diagram may be a knot that is quickly tied
with just a couple of twists and tucks. As you progress through the
steps of tying a knot, one of the most important things you will
learn is how to hold the partially completed knot. As you practice,
this will quickly improve.
There is not always a best way to hold a knot while tying it.
Sometimes it is just a matter of whatever works best for you. If you
watch what your fingers do while you tie your shoes or tie some
other knot, you may find you have a very specific way that you
hold them during the process of tying.

It Takes Practice
While learning the knot, you may find it much easier to start
with a practice rope in a manageable size, especially if you will
end up tying the knot in large bulky cordage or with something
small, like fishing line. After obtaining some proficiency with the
practice rope, you will want to go on to the final material that will
be used.
Once you make the switch, you may have to modify the way
you hold the rope, the strength you need to apply to bending it,
and whether or not you need to wear gloves (if you’re handling
rough cordage). If you’re tying a hitch, you may hold it differently
depending on what you are tying it to. For these reasons, it is good
to practice the knot with conditions similar to how you will be
using it.
You may even decide to carry around a piece of practice cord
with you to use whenever you have free moments during the day.
You can work on specific techniques, like figuring out how best to

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