Page 117 - Derek E. Avery - The new encyclopedia of knots

I

Improved blood knot: originally a fishing knot, this is used to join

together two lines of unequal thickness, when the difference in thickness
is too great for the basic blood knot (see page 19) to be efficient. The one
drawback when using the improved blood knot is in the tightening; unless
the turns are pulled up snugly the knot will lose strength. Generally it is
the heavier line that will not tighten completely. For this reason the
number of turns used is varied for each line, and here anglers must use
their own experience and judgment.

The improved blood knot is tied in exactly the same manner as the basic

blood knot, apart from the variation in the number of turns already
mentioned, and the fact that a very light line must be doubled. The
doubled light line with five turns and three turns in the heavier line shown
in figure 79 illustrate just such a situation. We suggest that next you first
moisten the loose knot and then, with a cloth wrapped around each hand
to avoid them being cut, you jerk the knot sharply to seat it. Here again

you will profit from experience, and it should be borne in mind that if it is
necessary for you to make a second tug to get the knot to seat properly,
then this will weaken the knot. When the knot has been tightened, trim
the working ends.

figure 79

Improved clinch knot, improved, or tucked, half blood knot: although
the basic three and a half turn clinch knot (see page 170) provides a
breaking strength of some 80 per cent, the improved clinch knot, with its
breaking strength of at least 95 per cent, is perhaps the most favoured
way of tying a line to a hook, lure or swivel. The crucial difference of the

improved knot is that five turns are taken around the standing part.