Page 16 - Knots, Splices and Rope Work: A Practical Treatise

The Clove hitch with ends knotted
becomes the “Gunners’ Knot” (Fig. 37).
These are among the most valuable and
important of knots and are useful in a
thousand and one places. The Clove hitch

will hold fast on a smooth timber and is
used extensively by builders for fastening
the stageing to the upright posts. It is also
useful in making a tow-line fast to a wet
spar, or timber, and even on a slimy and
slippery spile it will seldom slip.

For this purpose the “Timber

Hitch” (Fig. 38) is even better
than the Clove hitch. It is
easily made by passing the
end of a rope around the spar
or log, round the standing part

of the rope and then twist it
three or more times around,
under and over itself.

If you wish this still more
secure, a single half-hitch may
be

taken with the line a couple of feet further along the spar (Fig. 39).

It is remarkable what power to grip a twisted rope has, and the “Twist Knots” shown in