Chapter 11

USEFUL KNOTS AND HOW TO TIE THEM

=Square Knots. Hitching Knots. Other Knots=

Every outdoor girl should know what knots to use for various purposes and how to tie them, but only those which will be found useful on the trail are given here.

=Terms Used in Knot-Tying=

There are three different kinds of bends that are given a rope in the process of tying a knot, and each bend has its own name. You must learn these in order to understand the directions for knot-tying; they are: the _bight_, the _loop_, and the _round turn_.

The _bight_ (Fig. 46) is made by bending the rope so that the sides are parallel. The _loop_ (Fig. 47) is made by lapping one rope of the bight across the other. The _round turn_ (Fig. 48) is made by carrying one rope of the loop all the way around to the other side, making half of the loop double.

=Square Knot=

This is probably what you would at first call a hard knot, and so it is a hard knot to come untied of itself or to slip, but it is easy to untie when necessary. The hard knot most people tie is not quite the same as the square knot, though it does resemble it.

The ordinary hard knot is what is known as the _granny_ knot, a slurring name which means a failure. The granny knot will not always stay tied, it often slips and it cannot be trusted when absolute security is needed.

Begin the _square knot_ with the single first tie (Fig. 49). You see the end _X_ turns up _over_ the other rope while the end _O_ laps _under_ the rope. Now bring the two ends together, lapping _X over O_ (Fig. 50). Then pass _X_ back under _O_, making the single tie once more. Now compare what you have done with Fig. 51. Notice in the drawing that the ends of rope _X_ are _both over_ the right-hand bight, and the ends of rope _O_ are _both under_ the left-hand bight. Draw the square knot tight and it looks like Fig. 52.

You cannot make a mistake in tying the square knot if you remember to notice which end is on top, or laps _over_ the other rope when the first single tie is made (Fig. 49), and then be sure to lap this _same end over_ the other end in making the second tie which finishes the knot.

=Figure-Eight Knot=

Use the figure-eight knot to make a knot on the end of a rope or to prevent the end of the strands from untwisting. Form a loop like Fig. 53 near the end of the rope, bringing the short end over the long rope; then pass the short end under the long rope once, as shown by dotted line, and carry it up over and through the loop (Fig. 54). Pull it up tightly to bring the end square across the rope (Fig. 55). This knot is not difficult to untie.

=Bow-Line Knot=

To form a loop that will not slip and yet may be easily untied use the bow-line knot.

(1) When the loop is not fastened to anything use the _overhand method_ of tying it. First measure off sufficient rope for the loop you wish to make and hold the place with your left hand (this place is indicated by the arrow in Fig. 56); then with your right hand throw the short end of the rope over the long rope (Fig. 56). Still holding the short end with your right hand, with the left hand bring the long rope up to form a loop over the end (Fig. 57). Now with your right hand take up the end, draw it farther through the loop, and pass it behind the long rope above the loop, from right to left (Fig. 58). Bring the end forward again and slip it downward through the loop (Fig. 59). Draw the knot tight and it cannot slip, no matter how great the strain.

(2) Use the _underhand method_ when the loop is passed _around_ something or _through_ a ring. This loop may be put around the neck of a horse or cow without danger of injury, for it will not slip and tighten. It can also be used in place of the hitching tie.

Slip the rope through the ring, or around the object, from left to right while you hold the long rope in your left hand. Take a half-hitch around the long rope, passing the end _over_ the long rope, then under it. This makes a loop like Fig. 60. Transfer this loop from the short rope to the long rope by holding loosely, or giving slack, with the left hand and pulling up with the right. A little practise will enable you to do this easily. Fig. 61 shows the loop transferred to the long rope with the short end passing through it. At this stage carry the short end over, then under the long rope _below_ the loop (Fig. 62), then up and through the loop as in Fig. 63. Tighten the knot by pulling on both the long rope and the short end.

=Sheep-Shank Knot=

It is sometimes necessary to shorten a rope temporarily and not desirable to cut it, and the sheep-shank knot solves the problem. It is used by the sailors, who do not believe in cutting ropes. It will stand a tremendous strain without slipping, but will loosen when held slack, and can be untied by a quick jerk of the two outside ropes forming the bights.

Begin by bending the rope to form two bights as in _A_, Fig. 64, carry the single rope over at the top of the bend, then under to form a half-hitch as in _B_. Do the same with the other single rope at the bottom of the bend _C_, and draw both ends tight (_D_). With a little practise this can be done very quickly. If the rope is to be permanently shortened pass the ends through the first and second bights at the bend as in _E_, and the knot will hold for any length of time.

=The Parcel Slip-Knot=

This is the simplest of all knots to start with in tying up a parcel. Begin by making a knot about one inch from the end of your twine, using the single tie like _F_ (Fig. 65). If this does not make the knot large enough use the figure-eight knot. The single tie is sufficient in ordinary cases. Wrap your twine once around your parcel, lapping the long twine over the knotted end as in _G_. Bring the knotted end over the long twine, forming a bight, then _over_ and _under_ its own twine with the single tie (_H_). Draw the tie up close to the knot at the end; the knot prevents it from slipping off. Now the long twine may be drawn tight or loosened at will, and will hold the first wrap in place while the twine is being wrapped around the package in a different place.

=Cross-Tie Parcel Knot=

When you have two or more parallel twines on your parcel and have begun to bring down the cross-line, secure it to each twine in this way: Bring the long twine down and loop it under the first twine to form a bight as in _I_ (Fig. 66).

Then carry the long twine over, itself forming a loop (_J_), then under the first twine as in _K_.

Draw tight and proceed to the second twine, making the same cross-tie.

When you have carried your cross-line entirely around the parcel, tie it securely to the first twine where it began and finish with a single-tie knot, making a knot on the last end of the twine close to the fastening, to keep the end from slipping through.

=Fisherman's Knot=

The fisherman's knot is used by fishermen to tie silkworm gut together. It is easily untied by pulling the two short ends, but it never slips. Lay the two ropes side by side (_L_, Fig. 67), then make a loop around one rope with the other rope, passing the end under both ropes (_M_). Bring the end over and into the loop to make a single tie (_N_). Tie the end of the second rope around the first rope in the same manner (_N_) and draw both knots tight (_O_).

=Halter, Slip, or Running Knot=

The halter or slip knot is often convenient, but should never be used around the neck of an animal, for if either end is pulled it will slip and tighten, thereby strangling the creature.

First form a bight, then with one end of the rope make a single tie around the other rope (Fig. 68).

=Half-Hitch=

If you have anything to do with horses or boats you must know how to make the proper ties for hitching the horse to a post, or a boat to a tree, stump, or anything else that is handy.

The half-hitch is a loop around a rope with the short end secured under the loop (Fig. 69). This answers for a temporary, but not a secure, fastening.

=Timber-Hitch=

When you want a temporary fastening, secure yet easily undone, make a _timber-hitch_ (Fig. 70). Pass the rope around an object, take a half-hitch around the rope, and pass the short end once more between the rope and the object.

=Hitching Tie=

If the hitching tie is properly made, and the knot turned to the _right_ of the post, the stronger the pull on the long end of the rope, the tighter the hold, and the loop will not slip down even on a smooth, plain post. If the knot is turned to the left, or is directly in front, the loop will not pull tight and will slide down. For the reason that the loop will tighten, the _hitching tie_ should never be used around the neck of a horse, as it might pull tight and the animal be strangled.

In making the hitching tie, first pass the rope from left to right around the post, tree, or stump; bring it together and hold in the left hand. The left hand is represented by the arrow (Fig. 71). With the right hand throw the short end of the rope across the ropes in front of the left hand, forming a loop below the left hand (Fig. 72). Slip the right hand through this loop, grasp the rope just in front, and pull it back to form a bight, as you make a chain-stitch in crocheting (Fig. 73). Down through this last bight pass the end of the rope and pull the knot tight (Fig. 74).