Page 286 - The Ashley Book of Knots

SHROUD KNOTS (MULTI-STRAND BENDS)

the second bight to the right, the result is a practical and sym-

metrical knot.

1570. Alston's (1860) description of the FRENCH or SINGLE SHROUD

KNOT (3). "Crown backwards, lefthanded, the strands of each end;

then dip the ends that lie from you to the left of those that fall down

toW(ff"ds you: haul them into their places ... " He then directs: IS70

" ... tuck the ends as in splicing, or tease the strands out and marl

down." But the strands are not in position for doing either.

If, after having followed Alston's directions literally, up to the

point where he mentions tucking "as in splicing," the ends are

tucked instead as shown here, a satisfactory knot results which may

well be the knot Alston had in mind. This knot under tension will

distort somewhat. I have never seen any of the foregoing "FRENCH

SHROUD KNOTS" tied by a sailor except 711! 1568.

1571. The FRENCH SHROUD KNOT (4), that I have always seen tied

IS" ..., I

by sailors, I first learned from Captain Charles W. Smith on board

the Sunbeam in 1904, and I have seen many other sailors tie it. Olsen,

in Fisherman's Seamanship (Grimsby, 1885), describes it correctly

but uses for illustration Alston's drawing for a quite different knot.

The four foregoing knots (711! 1568-71) include all the FRENCH

SHROUD KNOTS either published or unpublished that I have been able

to trace.

1572. To double SHROUD KNOT 711! 157 I: Tie the knot and then tuck

each end directly through the next bight to the right, which doubles

or enlarges the knot. Superficially it will now closely resemble FIVE-

STRAND FLAT SINNET 711! 2967, tied horizontally around the rope, and

if each strand is tucked through an additional bight the surface will

resemble SEVEN-STRAND FLAT or ENGLISH SINNET, also tied horizon-

tally. 15 ,'2..

1573. A firm knot, superficially resembling some of the FRENCH

SHROUD KNOTS already given, is crowned to the right (upper ends

only). Then the lower strands are tucked up to the left, over one and

under one to the top center.

1574. A wider knot than has been given, which superficially re-

sembles FOUR-STRAND FLAT SINNET or a FOUR-LEAD TURK'S-HEAD, is

tied as follows: Without changing the grip on the structure, crown

the upper strands to the right and wall the lower strands to the left. IS?3

Then tuck the ends as shown, first the lower ends upward, then the

upper ends, which are not tucked immediately down under the bight

below, but are tucked under the next bight to the right, as shown in

the right diagram.

The tools required for these knots are pricker, scissors and loop

buttoner. For practicing the knots double two pieces of . and

lay up into about five inches of FOUR-STRAND SQUARE SINNET 2999.

Seize and leave the ends about two feet long. Two of these sinnets

are required for one SHROUD KNOT. Boil or soak one of the two sin-

nets in tea or coffee and the other in plain water for the same length

of time. When dry, they will be of different color but of the same

texture.

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