We hope you find these pages useful and informative.
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Here is a list of the most common knots used in our activities,
with a simple description of how to tie and there use it!
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Bouline knut
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A commonly used knot to tie a loop in the end of a rope. It has the advantage of not jamming, compared to some other loop forming knots (for example when using an overhand knot on a large bight to form a loop.
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figure 8
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This is the simplist knot of all. It is commonly use to temporarily "stop" the end of a fraying rope.
The overhand knot is commonly tied in a bight formed at the end of a rope, forming the Overhand Loop.
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A useful "Stop" knot to temporarily bulk out the end of a rope or cord, the finished knot looks like its name. It is superior to using a Thumb Knot, because it does not jam so easily.
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Fisherman
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The Fisherman's knot is used to tie two ropes of equal thickness together. It is used by fishermen to join fishing line, and is very effective with small diameter strings and twines.
Tie a Thumb knot, in the running end of the first rope around the second rope. Then tie a thumb knot in the second rope, around the first rope. Note the Thumb knots are tied such they lie snugly against each other when the standing ends are pulled.
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Lark's Head
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The Lark's Head knot is used to loosely attach a rope to a spar or ring. The knot has two redeeming features, it is easy to tie, and it does not jam. However, it will slip fairly easily along the spar, and may slip undone when tied using man made fibre ropes.
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Square Knot)
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An excellent general purpose knot for tying two pieces of string or twine together, the reef knot is possibly the most commonly used knot for the job, and is easy to learn. However, it cannot be overly stressed that the Reef knot is not a long term or secure knot, and it should only be used to finish parcels or bindings. In other cases, use a more secure method of bending two ropes together, such as a Sheetbend, a Double Sheetbend, or a Fisherman's Knot.
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Rolling Hitch
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One of the most underated knots in Scouting and Guiding, the Rolling hitch is used to attach one rope to a second, in such a manner that the first rope can be easily slid along the second.
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Round turn and two half hitches
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The Sheepshank is a shortening knot, which enables a rope to be shortened non-destructively.
The knot is only really secure under tension, it will fall apart when slack. (See tip below.)
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Sheepshank
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The Sheetbend is commonly used to tie two ropes of unequal thickness together. The thicker rope of the two is used to form a bight, and the thinner rope is passed up through the bight, around the back of the bight, and then tucked under itself.
The knot should be tied with both ends coming off the same side of the bend, as illustrated here. However it can easily be accidentally tied with the ends coming off opposite sides of the bend, when it is known as the Left Handed Sheet Bend. The Left Handed Sheet Bend is to be avoided as it is less secure.
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