Page 91 - Maria Constantino "The Knot Handbook"
P. 91
TOM FOOL'S KNOT
his is one of the many so-called 'handcuff' knots, but it's rather like the bow tied in
T shoelaces. Rather than restrain villains - although Clifford Ashley suggests that they may
have originated with gamekeepers w ho used them to secure poachers - these knots were used
to hobble farm animals so that they were free to graze but could not travel very far. Similar
knots are still used today all over the Greek islands to keep goats in check - assuming that they
haven't eaten through the rope.
Make a clockwise overhand
I loop in the bight of a ...illiillliillllll!..
length of rope.
Add an anti-clockwise
2 underhand loop of about
the same size.
Partly overlap the left-hand
3 loop in front of the right-
hand one
