Page 45 - Randy Penn Everything Knots Book

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THE EVER YTHING KNOTS BOOK

Once a knot is tightened, it will have a distinctive look. By
learning to recognize this look, you can often judge if it is tied cor-
rectly with just a glance. With a little experimentation you will also
discover that many knots untie easily when done a certain way.
Some knots, like the Hunter’s Bend, are quickly loosened by
bending back the outer collar (the part of the knot that the standing
part leads out of).

ESSENTIAL

Much of our terminology for ropes and knots comes from
what is called “the age of sail.” That’s because many of the
first books that referred to knots were early sailing and
seamanship guides. Many of the terms we use today are due
to their first appearance in these sailing books.

Knots by Name

When it comes to learning from a knot book, knowing some basic
terminology is key. Knots have names, different functions that knots
serve have names, and even the parts of a knot have names. Once
you learn all these terms, you will find that learning and remem-
bering knots will be much easier.
The term knot, in its most general definition, can refer to any
complication in rope that has the potential for the rope to act dif-
ferently than if it were not there. Since there is no official registry
for the names of knots, they tend to be named by convention, by
what the majority of books call them, or just by what a father called
it when he taught it to his son. These names come from many
sources:

• A profession or application that relies on the knot
• The knot’s form or function
• The knot’s inventor, famous user, or another person

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