Page 267 - The Ashley Book of Knots

THE ASHLEY BOOK OF KNOTS

Bends in general should be regarded as temporary expedients.

Where something permanent is required, SHROUD KNOTS and LONG

and SHORT SPLICES are used. These are MULTI-STRAND BENDS, which

are dealt with in separate chapters.

1402. The REEF or SQUARE KNOT is a true BINDER KNOT (Chapter

16), for which purpose it is admirable, but under no circumstances

should it be used as a bend. If tied with two ends of unequal

size, or if one end is stiffer or more slippery than the other, it is

bound to spill. Unfortunately it is about the most easily remembered

knot there is, and the uninitiated commonly employ it as a bend.

There have probably been more lives lost as a result of using a

SQUARE KNOT as a bend (to tie two ropes together) than from the

failure of any other half dozen knots combined. This was stated in

1402 1403 1404

the first chapter and may be repeated again. In fact it is the ease with

which the knot may be spilled that gives it its value as a REEF KNOT.

1403. The SHEET KNOT is a means of knotting strips of sheeting

and blanketing if a quick exit from a second-story window is im-

perative. With OVERHAND KNOTS added in this way, the REEF KNOT

becomes secure.

1404. Another bend from a REEF KNOT. This method of half

hitching the ends has been used on WEAVER'S KNOTS but is unneces-

sarily cumbersome.

1405. The GRANNY is another questionable knot that is often tied

as a bend. Its use is inexcusable but it is hardly so bad for the purpose

as the REEF KNOT, for although it will slip, it does not have the

1405' I 01 same tendency to capsize and spill.

1406. The WHATNOT (I). There is little danger of anyone ever

tying this knot by mistake: the method is too unhandy. It really

belongs among the "trick knots" of Chapter 33. With the ends ar-

ranged as shown, it is a more secure bend than many far more trust-

worthy knots.

1407. The WHATNOT (2). With the ends twisted as given here, the

WHATNOT is the most insecure bend there is. At all times it is quite

unpredictable.

1408. Here is another bend with the same untrustworthy features

as the "WHATNOT," yet in the form shown here it ranks among the

securest bends known.

0
1408-9 1408 14 9
1409. But in this second form it is one of the least secure knots

known, its only rival being the WHATNOT. The change from one of

its forms to the other may occur accidentally or intentionally. So

the knot is quite untrustworthy.

1410. The OVERHAND BEND, also called THUMB KNOT and (by

Bowling) OPENHAND KNOT, ranks higher than the SHEET BEND in

security but is among the weakest of the bends. It is used in joining

the ends of rope yarns by which hams, bacon, and bananas are hung,

and it is also the knot tied by a mechanical binder.

1411. The FLEMISH BEND, also called FIGURE-EIGHT BEND, is often

given in knot monographs but is seldom used. It is bulky and bother-

1410

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