Page 13 - Peter Randall - The Craft of the Knot

KNOTTING TERMS

Knowing a few terms for knot tying is very important for following both illustrations
and descriptions in the text. When you work with a rope, it generally has a standing

part, bight, and running end.

When a knot is tied at the end of a rope, the very tip is referred to as the “running
end.” In fishing publications, this section may be referred to as the “tag end.” Using this
term in knotting directions gives the important distinction that the very tip of the rope
is delivered where the directions say, whether it is over or under another rope, or

through a loop of some kind. The other end of the rope—the leading part that is not
manipulated in the knot tying—is called the “standing part.”

The term “bight” is the middle part of the rope that is not the running end or standing
part. Just as a running end can be directed in many ways in the construction of a knot,
a bight can be made out of any part of the rope, and directed the same way. If an arrow
in an illustration seems to come from the standing part and not from the running end, it

usually means that a bight should be formed and taken in the direction the arrow shows.
It may help with some knots to fold the bight over very tight, thus forming a narrow
doubled piece that can pass more easily where needed.

THE CROSSING TURN

Another important structure in knot tying is the crossing turn, used in many of the knots

you’ll learn in this book. You can quickly create a crossing turn by grabbing a part of
the bight and giving it a half twist that forms a loop. When making a crossing turn, it is
very important that the orientation of the over-under section of the crossing is correct
for the knot you are tying. In practice, you will quickly get the crossing orientation

correct each time by associating it with a twist in a certain direction, which is quicker
than trying to think about whether the running end crosses over or under when
producing it.