Page 217 - The Ashley Book of Knots

THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS

Another temporary use for the knot was to ease the strain around

a weak or wounded section of rope. Nowadays the knot comes in

handy to shorten an automobile towrope or a hay tackle fall.

The MASTHEAD or JURY MAST KNOT provides a strap to which the

several stays are bent when jury rigging is required after a storm or

a battle. It also comes in handy on the stays of a derrick. A pair of

cleats, nailed to the head of the mast or pole, should be added if pos-

sible, to make the knot doubly secure.

I I 4 0 1140. The HANDCUFF KNOT is often confused with the TOM FOOL'S

KNOT. But it is commenced with a CLOVE HITCH while the latter knot

is evolved from a round turn. After the HANDCUFF KNOT has been

drawn up snugly, each end may be half hitched around one of the

loops to render the knot secure.

I , 4 I 1141. The TOM FOOL or TOM FOOL'S KNOT may be used for the

same purpose as the former but is not so satisfactory a HANDCUFF

KNOT, as it is more difficult to draw snug and make fast, if the

prisoner proves fractious. Generall it is employed as a trick knot

and as such will be found more ully described at the beginning

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1142. The JUG SLING or JAR SLING KNOT is invaluable on icnics

or wherever heavy bottles, vacuum jars, or jugs have to be ugged

considerable distances. Sailors find it useful on "wooding" and

"watering" parties ashore. On sketching expeditions I have found

it invaluable for carrying fluid with which to wash brushes. The JUG

SLING is pictured by Roding in 1795. E. N. Little, in 1889, pic-

tures and labels it JAR SLING KNOT, the two terms being interchange-

able.

Cowboys are said to have employed it as a hackamore or emer-

gency bridle. The two center bights of the knot proper form the bit,

the outer bights surround the muzzle, the long loop forms the head-

stall and the ends are used for reins.

To tie the knot: Middle a stout cord and turn back the center to

form a loop or bight (first diagram). Holding the center of the bight

with the left thumb and finger so that it will not shift, twist the

two parallel center parts one full turn, as pictured in diagram 2.

Insert the right thumb and forefinger down into the center com-

partment of the twisted section and with the forefingernail upper-

most grasp the center of the original bight (see arrow in the second

diagram).

Holding the two legs of the knot with the left hand, lift the

knot with both hands, and, without changing the grip of the right

hand, hold the knot out before you, allowing the ri ht hand to turn

away from you so that the thumb is toward you. hen separate the

two hands slowly, drawing out the knot into position 3.

1142.

If you haven't succeeded in achieving position 3, repeat from the

be inning and it will probably fall into correct form.

lip the left hand under the knot and withdraw the bight that

is indicated by the arrow in the third diagram. Finally place the

center of the knot marked X in the bottom of the left diagram

around the collared neck of a bottle (a milk bottle will do nicely)

and draw up the knot.

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