Page 305 - The Ashley Book of Knots

THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS

1720. The ROUND TURN AND Two HALF HITCHES is namea by

Steel in 1794. If a spar is small a round turn is preferable to a single

11'2.0 \12.1 "2.~ turn. It makes a stronger knot and dissipates the wear.

1721. Two ROUND TURNS AND Two HALF HITCHES, so called by

Dana in 1841, and by subsequent authors, was originally called ROLL-

ING HITCH (Falconer, 1769). It is a strong, old-fashioned knot that is

excellent to tie to the limb of a tree.

1722. The FISHERMAN'S BE:ND is occasionally tied in this manner

with one hitch only, which is always stopped or seized.

1723. The FISHERMAN'S BEND: The common way of tying this

knot (1808) is with two hitches, which, Lever says, "is used for

bending the studding-sail halyards to the yards."

1724. The FISHERMAN'S BEND AND BOWLINE: A quick and con-

venient way in which to finish off this hitch is with a BOWLINE KNOT

when no seizing stuff is handy.

1725. The BACKHANDED HITCH is used in tying up to the string-

piece of a wharf, where it is usually difficult to reeve the warp un-

derneath the timber. Only a single pass is required. A bight is pushed

through the gap under the stringpiece snd the end is then rove

through the bight to be half hitched twice, and then stopped or

seized.

1726. The BACKHANDED HITCH AND BOWLINE makes a good Tow-

,"11.,

(125" n L. 6 ROPE HITCH to an automobile axle. An axle is difficult of access, and

the single pass required of this knot is a great convenience. The Bow-

LINE is quicker to tie than a seizing; moreover it can be applied where

the knot will clear the car.

1727. The JAM HITCH. In structure this is closely related to the

three knots to follow. It belongs equally with the BUTCHER'S KNOTS

of Chapter 2 and with the BINDER KNOTS of Chapter 16. The peculi-

arity of the knot is that it closes easily but does not tend to open,

which is the opposite of the hitch which follows. The latter is simi-

lar in construction but reversed. It opens easily but does not tend to

close.

1728, 1729. The MIDSHIPMAN'S HITCH bears the same relation to

the ROLLING HITCH (jjfI735) that Two HALF HITCHES (jjfI7IO)

bears to the CLOVE HITCH (jjf 1178). That is to say, the knot is made

fast around its own standing part, while in the ROLLING HITCH it is

made fast around another object.

1730. If you have fallen overboard the MIDSHIPMAN'S HITCH

(jjf 1728) is the knot to tie in the end of the rope that is tossed to you.

Dog the end and hold it in your hand while you are hoisted aboard.

But in big stuff the knot is tied as shown here. In jjf 1728 and jjf 1729

the second turn is jammed under the first taken turn. In big

1132.
stuff the end is generally seized. In small stuff it is more convenient

to hitch as in jjf 1729. If the second turn is not jammed down over

the first one, the knot will be adjustable and may be slid with ease

to any place on the standing part where it will hold its position under

•
tenSIOn.

1731. A SINGLE PASS HITCH that must be tied with a very long

loose end. The bight, which, in the first diagram, is at the front, must

be pushed to the back as the knot is drawn up.

1732. Three round turns are excellent for low~ring heavy weights

from aloft or from the branch of a tree, and four or five will serve

temporarily as a hitch. Be certain that the turns are snug before

lowering away. "There's a lot of virtue in a round turn."