Page 52 - Randy Penn Everything Knots Book

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LEARNING TO TIE KNOTS

Matching a Knot to a Rope Application
The main categories of rope use are joining one rope to
another, making a loop, binding, and tying off to an object.
Identifying the function that the knot must serve is an important
step in choosing one. Some knots are like a multitool in that they
can serve a variety of functions, and some are very limited in what
they do. A fixed loop can serve a variety of different functions, but
a knot like the Reef or Square Knot is unreliable when not used
as a binding knot. Once you understand the function of the knot
you learn, you will know whether it will work in any particular
application.

ALERT!

Don’t be quick to assume that a knot you like and trust in one
application will behave reliably in another. Many knots that
are very good for one application can quickly untie or slip
when used in only a slightly different manner. Just as you
wouldn’t use a good pair of pliers to drive a nail through
wood, you need to discriminate between appropriate and
inappropriate knots for each application.

Other Considerations
The more you learn about knots, the more factors you will be
able to take into account as you choose the right one for a par-
ticular application. Everything from the cordage material used to
how the knot is tied, untied, and subjected to stress are important
factors in knot choice.
No attempt is made in this book to tell you what rope mate-
rial to use for every application. That is because only you will know
both what application you have and what cordage you have avail-
able to do it. That leaves you to decide what knots to use based
on the rope’s properties, such as its size and how slippery it is.

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