Page 194 - The Ashley Book of Knots

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CHAPTER 11: SINGLE-LOOP KNOTS

With this knott the bowling bridles are made fast to the Creengles,

but it is also used in any other Wayes. •

SIR HENRY MANWAYRING: The Sea-mans Dictionary, 1644

A Loop KNOT is a closed bight that is tied either in the end or in - -

the central part of a rope.

It serves much the same purpose as a hitch, which is a knot that

secures a rope to another object. But a Loop KNOT is a' rigid knot

that is tied in hand and placed over an object such as a peg, post, pile,

hook, or the lug of an archer's bow, while a hitch is made fast di- - -

rectly around an object. Moreover, the shape of a Loop KNOT is inde- -' = -

pendent of the thing that it is tied to, while many hitches will capsize

if removed from their holdfasts. So it is possible to use a Loop KNOT

over and over again, which is the particular merit of the knot.

A Loop KNOT often is called merely a "loop," but a loop proper

is an unknotted closed bight. More commonly, however, a Loop

KNOT is called merely a "knot," as the "BOWLINE KNOT." - • = '-
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The number and variety of loops in the end and in the bight, both

single and double, are great-much greater than seems necessary, but \~

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each individual knot tier has his preference. A 100 will provide I _

a handhold or foothold, and it gives something to hoo to. A LEADER t. ....
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Loop is required by the angler, and a BOWLINE is one of the most

used knots aboard ship. Most lashings are started with a loop.

EYE SPLICES are nothing but MULTI-STRAND Loops, to which

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STOPPER KNOTS and TOGGLES are buttoned and tackles are hooked.

loNG EYE SPLICES and straps ,are doubled on themselves to form the -
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RUNNING KNOTS and STRAP KNOTS that are the rigger's main reliance. - - - · - • •
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There appear to be only two well-known single loops on the , - -

bight. One is the HARNESS Loop or ARTILLERYMAN'S Loop (~1050), ./, - '- -

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a knot that is used to provide a hand- or shoulder-hold in manhan-

dling guns. The second is the ENGLISH, ENGLISHMAN'S, WATER,

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