Page 27 - Peter Randall "The Craft of the Knot.."

running end through the loop of the knot multiple times, making a
different knot in the series every time.

When tied this way, these knots change shape as they are tightened. If
you tighten them by pulling on both the running and standing parts, the
belly wraps around the spine until all you can see is the barrel shape of
these wraps. They can also be tightened by manually wrapping the belly
around the spine, which causes the spine to unwrap to a single crossing.

These knots have many properties in common, including both high
security and difficulty in untying when tightened.
Another way to tie this series is to make the desired number of wraps,
and then pass the running end through all of them, leaving it already in

its final form. The Double and Triple Overhand Knots are often tied this
way. Knots of this series all have a right-and a left-handed version.

These knots are also sometimes called Barrel Knots or Blood Knots—
the latter possibly because they were tied to the lashes of a cat-o’-nine-
tails to help the flogger draw more blood from his victim. Another
version claims the name comes from causing bleeding fingers from tight
knots in fishing lines.

WHERE TO START?

Knots in the overhand series are the starting points of many other knots,
bends, hitches, and loops. Some bends are made by interlocking
Overhand Knots, some hitches are started with an Overhand or Figure
Eight, and many friction loops and fishing knots are based on Multiple

Overhand Knots.
For the series of stopper knots mentioned here, increasing the number
of wraps will not increase their cross-section area. For a wider knot, use
a different knot or double the cord first.

There are many advantages to tying knots that are based on others.
They are certainly easier to remember because there is so much less to

recall. By making it easier to keep many possibilities in mind, you can
make better choices for what is needed. When one knot is the basis for
another, it is also easier to check your progress as you complete the