Page 111 - The New Encyclopedia of Knots

I

Improved blood knot: originally a fishing knot, this is used to join together two lines of unequal
thickness, when the difference in thickness is too great for the basic blood knot (see page 19) to be
efficient. The one drawback when using the improved blood knot is in the tightening; unless the turns

are pulled up snugly the knot will lose strength. Generally it is the heavier line that will not tighten
completely. For this reason the number of turns used is varied for each line, and here anglers must use
their own experience and judgment.

The improved blood knot is tied in exactly the same manner as the basic blood knot, apart from the

variation in the number of turns already mentioned, and the fact that a very light line must be doubled.
The doubled light line with five turns and three turns in the heavier line shown in figure 79 illustrate
just such a situation. We suggest that next you first moisten the loose knot and then, with a cloth
wrapped around each hand to avoid them being cut, you jerk the knot sharply to seat it. Here again

you will profit from experience, and it should be borne in mind that if it is necessary for you to make
a second tug to get the knot to seat properly, then this will weaken the knot. When the knot has been
tightened, trim the working ends.

figure 79

Improved clinch knot, improved, or tucked, half blood knot: although the basic three and a half turn
clinch knot (see page 170) provides a breaking strength of some 80 per cent, the improved clinch
knot, with its breaking strength of at least 95 per cent, is perhaps the most favoured way of tying a line
to a hook, lure or swivel. The crucial difference of the improved knot is that five turns are taken

around the standing part.

figure 80

Insert the working end through the eye of the hook and allow yourself about 15 to 20cm (6 to 8in) to

tie the knot. Using pliers to hold the hook in your right hand, take five turns around the standing part
before passing the end through the loop which has been formed between the eye of the hook and the
first turn, and back through the bight that you have just created between the working end and the turns
around the standing part (figure 80). Now moisten the knot and pull steadily on the standing part

while holding the pliers with the hook in your other hand to tighten the knot. Very fine line may be