Page 59 - Randy Penn Everything Knots Book

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THE EVER YTHING KNOTS BOOK

be doubled to make a larger knot. To double them, retrace each
strand along a previous strand’s path. If a Wall and then a Crown
is made, the ends can be tucked down the center from the top
and then cut off where they come out the bottom. Then, when
someone asks what you did with the ends, you can say that you
“threw them away.”

QUESTION?

Why does my attempt at making a Matthew Walker Knot
look like a rat’s nest?
Tying the Matthew Walker Knot is a good example of a knot
that does not form the proper shape just from pulling on all
the leads. The outer bights must be coaxed into place to wrap
around the knot in the proper form. Gently brush them with
your hand to assist them in wrapping all the way around the
knot, while gradually and evenly taking out slack.

The Overhand Series

The Overhand Knot is a distinct knot with its own properties. It is
also the basis for both tying and remembering many knots (as
shown in Chapter 3). For instance, the Overhand Knot is the base
for two important series of stopper knots, the figure eight series
and the multiple overhand series.

The Figure Eight Series
The figure eight series contains frequently used knots. This
series begins by making the crossing turn that would be used for
an Overhand Knot, and then increasing the number of times the
running end is wrapped around the standing part before passing
once through the loop. Twisting this loop an increasing number of
times before threading accomplishes the same thing. This series of
knots is often used to stop a line from passing through an opening.

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