Page 33 - Des Pawson "Pocket Guide to Knots & Splices"
P. 33
Pocket Guide to Knots & Splices
end is not so short that it will pull out strand knot or if it a multi-strand knot
when the knot is put under strain. such as a manrope knot or star knot,
There is a useful type of knot called a work each strand one at a time. It is
slip knot that is designed as a quick better to tighten a complex knot two or
release. It is undone or slipped very three times, keeping the distortion to a
easily by pulling the short tail. It is minimum, rather than overtighten it
essential that a slip knot is correctly and build in a distortion that you
tied, with the strain on the correct part, cannot get rid of. It is difficult to work
and that the loop and tail that form the slack back into part of a knot.
quick-release part of the knot are It can be difficult to guess how
jammed firmly in place. You should be much rope is needed to make a knot,
certain it will stay that way until you especially one of those knots that has
decide you wish to release the knot. many passes—such as the mats, the
Some knots are made in a single Turk’s heads, and monkey’s fist. It is a
version and then the knot is doubled— good idea to very roughly dummy the
for example, the figure-of-eight loop, knot in your hand to get an idea of the
water knot, and the mats and Turk’s sort of quantity needed. There can be
heads at the end of the book. no harm in measuring what you think
Very complex knots are often tied a you need, adding a little and making a
little on the loose side and formed into note of the quantity you are going to
the right shape before being tightened use. After making the knot or mat, see
by working the slack out of the knot. what you have left and keep a record of
You may find that a spike of some sort the actual quantity and the size of rope
will help your fingers with this task. A used, together with the size of the
spike is useful for tightening such knots finished knot or mat. Over time you
as the monkey’s fist (see page 52), man- will build up a better understanding of
rope knot (see page 64) or any of the the amounts of rope needed.
Turk’s heads (see pages 222 onward). Working with a long length of rope
Whatever the complex knot, when you can be time consuming, and it can help
come to tighten it you should do this if you pass the rope as a bight.
systematically, working carefully from Sometimes you may even make a
the beginning to the end. If it is a single¬ bundle of the rope and pass that. This
31
