Page 26 - Eric C. Fry - Knots and Ropework

12 There are several ways of making a sheep shank but the pu rpose
of all of them is to shorte n the rope w ithout cutting it. In this
Sheep instance, the fool's knot neither adds to nor detracts from the
efficiency of the completed knot. but. at best, in a long shank,
does hold the three parts together at the centre, the fool's knot
Shank from itself not being under load.
As illustrated, the knot is completed by turning and casting a
Fool's Knot, half-hitch over the bights at the extreme ends of the fool's knot,
on both sides of the centre.
In the pinned version, Figs 6 10 8, further bights of the standing
Pinned parts are raised at both ends, through the existing end bights of the
knot and secured by the insertion of marlin spikes or sim ilar pins.
Sheep The pins must be secured in position with a lashing (not shown)
and the whole has no especial purpose or use, other than as an
Shank elaborate means of ensuring that the end hitches do not work
their way off, particularly if the rope is subjected to a fluctuating
tension.
Under these conditions it would suffice to seize the end bights to
the standing parts after the initial toad has been applied.