Page 34 - Gibson W.B. "The complete guide to knots"

26
Half Hitch

In its simplest form, the Half Hitch
is made by looping a rope around a
post or other upright object, bringing
the end around the standing part to
take a partial turn, and pulling them
in opposite directions, so that the
rope tightens there (fig. 1).
However, to make the Half Hitch
hold on its own, you must bring the
end up and around the standing part,
then tuck it down between the rope
and the post, so that it will jam there
when the loop is tightened (fig. 2).
Actually, this is the same as a
simple Overhand Knot dropped over
the post, because your "hitch" now
has become a "knot." The chief
difference is that you can hitch the
rope to a tree, fence, metal ring, or
any object where the knot cannot be
dropped on from the top.
The Half Hitch is a basic rope
formation important to others that
follow.

fig. 1

fig. 2