Page 425 - The Ashley Book of Knots

THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS

2581. The "MAGICAL KNOT," also known as the "FIMMAN'S

KNOT" and the "PHILADELPHIA KNOT."

To tie: Take a long piece of banding and build up a series of

hitches over the left thumb. Remove from thumb and stick the

lower end of the cord up through these hitches. Cover all with the

hand except the upstuck end. Lean over your hand and whisper
, some magical word that you may think of, then pull steadily on the

protruding end and a long series of knots will march out from

under your fingers. In the meanwhile the twiddling left fingers

hold everything back except the one knot whose turn it is to come

forth. Pull gently so that the knots will remain loosely tied. A series

of at least a dozen are easily made.

2582. Continue to talk animatedly to your audience while you

unostentatiously rearrange the knots as in the diagram, merely tuck-

ing one end through each knot in turn. Let two of the audience step

forward, give each an end (the knots being well bunched and hidden

in your hand). Ask them to pull the knots as tight as possible so

that they will be hard to untie, keep your hands over the knots and,

when they have finished pulling, remove your hand; and the knots

will have entirely disappeared. Six or eight knots are enough for

the trick, but there is no limit to the number that is possible.

2583. Both the FIGURE-EIGHT and the STEVEDORE KNOT may be

tied in similar manner. The FIGURE-EIGHT is illustrated, but if one

more half turn is added to each upstanding loop in the first diagram

the result will be a series of STEVEDORE KNOTS.

2584. An unrecognizable knot. This is a puzzle rather than a trick.

Make one, two or three round turns around a pencil, and add a

HALF KNOT. Remove and work the knot taut, pulling as little as

possible on the ends and retaining all possible twist within the knot.

The knot should already be in pocket when you announce to

your audience, preferably a small one and of the sporting gentry,

that you have in your possession a knot that no one present has ever

seen before. There are always people present who have seen every-

thing there is to be seen, so in the ensuing argument produce the

knot and place a few judicious bets. State that you will pay all bets

2584 if anyone present can produce a duplicate.

Allow no one to touch the knot, for there is always someone who

will innocently attempt to untie it. Put it on the table in full view

and allow anyone to turn it over with a match or pencil. Finally

someone will tie a FIGURE-EIGHT KNOT in another cord, which will

appear to be the same thing. You must have both knots opened with-

out permitting an end from either to be withdrawn. It will at once

be evident to all that your trick knot is merely an OVERHAND KNOT.

2S8S 2585. A puzzle. How to put an EYE SPLICE in the bight of a rope.

Twist the rope and crowd a central section together, which will

cause the three strands to protrude separately in three bights. This

is called crowfooting a rope. Make an ordinary EYE SPLICE tucked

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