Page 49 - The Knot Bible

Marlinspike hitch
KNOT SCORE
No point in using a sledge hammer to crack a nut. Sometimes, you only Strength
need a simple, easy knot to make a temporary fastening. And it doesn’t Security
get much simpler or easier than the marlinspike hitch. Use it as a crossing Diffi culty Tying
Diffi culty Untying
knot (see Knot Know-How below), or with a marlinspike to tighten
Usefulness
another knot. Bear in mind it may collapse once the load is off.

1 Make an underhand loop. 2 Place the loop over its standing 3 Pass the post (or marlinspike)
part, without altering it. under the standing part visible
through the loop, and draw it up.

4 Tighten the knot by pulling both KNOT KNOW-HOW
parts in opposite directions.
It may seem strange to create a knot
that only holds under tension, but many
crossing knots work on this principle.
And their applications are many. From
tying up parcels, to making lifelines,
fences, and even ladders. In most of
these cases, a secure knot is required to
attach the line at either end, while a
quick, easily adjustable knot is needed
for the points in between.