Page 11 - D. Raleigh "Knots and ropes for climbers"

A rappel rope-stopper using carabiners in an
Overhand on a Bight, a.k.a. the Overhand Loop.

Tie the Overhand on a Bight near the end of the rappel rope, and you have the Overhand Loop, the
best stopper knot I've found. Clip a carabiner through the loop and this knot is impossible to pull
through any rappel device.

Common Use
Excellent stopper knot in the end of a rappel rope

Secondary Uses
Emergency tie-in
Emergency anchor point

Overhand Bend

This bend, writes Clifford W. Ashley, "is used in joining the ends of rope yarns by which hams,
bacon, and bananas are hung." Smart climbers avoid this knot when possible, which is most of the time
when you must tie two ropes together. Still, the Overhand Bend has its uses. It's the fastest and
simplest knot to tie rappel ropes together, admirable qualities when a storm is bearing down. Also,
because both rope ends point in the same direction and the knot makes a trim bundle, it's the least
likely knot to jam when it's dragged down the cliff during rope retrieval.

In the Saxony region of Germany, where metal protection is banned by law to protect the soft
sandstone, they tie the Overhand Bend in short runners and slings. These they then jam, stopper-style,
in crack constrictions. The practice works amazingly well, so long as you keep the knot soft and flat
when you lay it in the crack, then jerk it to cause it to swell. A thin stick is useful for poking the knot