Page 94 - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

Figure 3-32. The Ashley Bend. Start with a clockwise
loop, end behind the standing part, then weave an
identical loop into it, passing the second end in a
regular under-and-over sequence. Finish by passing
both ends into the eye in the middle.

and different techniques for tying; bends are still
fertile ground for innovation. The Weaver’s method
for tying the Double Sheet Bend, for example, comes
to you courtesy of Fred Kenderdine of Billerica,
Massachusetts.
It’s only because the scope of this book is not
encyclopedic that more suggestions have not been
included. But I couldn’t leave out the comments of a
Mr. John “Fud” Benson who wrote to say, “In tying
the Ashley Bend I was struck by its resemblance to
a two-strand Wall and Crown Knot. . . . ” Indeed,
the two knots are analogous, even though they are

Table 3. Security with the Carrick Bend, the Zeppelin, and the Strait
Bends on a par with the Ashley Bend.
Since experience had shown him that security was Note that Spectra is even more slick and springy
one of the most important attributes of a good than mohair. And even if you can get a bend to hold in
bend, Clifford Ashley conducted tests on 20 bends this stuff, it will likely weaken the rope by at least 60%.
to gauge their resistance to slipping. Each knot
(tied in mohair—a very slick, springy material) was
given a series of as many as 100 sharp, even tugs
and rated by the number of tugs needed to pull it
apart. The results were presented on page 273 of
The Ashley Book of Knots, and are reprinted here
with permission.
The figures in the table represent relative secu-
rity and should be considered a guide only, since
most bends will fare better in regular cordage.
For example, the Sheet Bend is adequate for use
in three-strand manila, hemp, and spun Dacron,
but should not be used in slicker materials such
as filament Dacron, nylon, most polypropylene, or
any double-braid rope. In the latter cases, a more
slip-resistant bend such as the Ashley or Strait is
called for. Of the bends described above, the Sheet
Bend fared the worst, coming apart after an aver-
age of 22.3 pulls. Next came the Double Sheet Bend
at 36.2. The Carrick Bend lasted through 70.8
pulls, and the Ashley Bend endured 100 tugs with-
out slipping at all.
The other three recommended bends were not
included in the test, but my own experience leads
me to rate the Ashley Hawser Bend in a league

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