Practical Knots

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My Dad was US Coast Guard during WW2. He knew so many knots that he put this Eagle Scout son to shame. My favorite knot that he taught was the "Trucker's Hitch."
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Hubby uses this one frequently.
I use a bowline on a bite quite a bit. You can pull on it pretty hard and can still untie it.
That's what we used tying horses because a horse could pull on it and you could still untie it.
 
Peanut is #9 the same as a
3. TAUT LINE HITCH
The Taut Line Hitch is a moveable knot that can be adjusted up or down a length of rope. This knot is often used to anchor a boat to shore, attach the guy line of a tent to pegs, hang a hammock with adjustable tension, or tie a rainfly to stakes and trees for easy adjustments.

We used this in BSA on tents, if it is not the same it is close & is used for the same type of chores.
Ashley book is the best, today many paracord nuts have renamed many knots, so it is hard to know what they are talking about, until you see the knot being formed. I did Macrame' knots as a teenager & taught knot to Boy Scouts so they could get their rank.
 
Bowline, taught line and clove are my 3 go-to knots. The bowline/taught line combo for everything that I know I will need to retighten later. Clove is the go-to for fastening rope to anything and great for the cloths line. When the line stretches, just tighten it right up.

For fishing: no-name for the leader, perfect for those long heavy leaders when throwing 8Nbait, zips right through the eyes smooth as ya like. You really need to lube it up and snug appropriately though. Labrador Retriever drool is the go-to lube for that. Berkley for terminal tackle, all I ever use. I snell hooks. Kind of a hard knot to learn and trust, but once you have it down it can be done at night, in a cold, windy rain while drunk.
 
The Tautline Hitch can slip, especially in stiffer cordage. It usually does pretty well in paracord however. The biggest thing the Tautline Hitch has going for it, IMHO, is that it's almost impossible to forget how to tie it. Something about knots we learned in Boy Scouts that makes them unforgettable...

I use the "Adjustable Hitch" these days. In the tying instructions below, it is called the "Sliding Sheet Bend". I've never seen it called that. The thing I really like about it is after you get the line as taut as you want it, then you can tighten the knot until it creates the "hump" you see in the picture, and it does not move at all. You then have to loosen the knot up to get it to slide again if you need to readjust. And when you're done with it and want to release the knot, just give a quick yank on the end and the knot disappears. I usually leave a longer loop and tail end hanging out the sides of the knot than shown in the picture. That way if you have to loosen the knot to slide it again, you don't have to worry about accidentally pulling that loop out and destroying the knot. Plus, with a longer trailing end you can get a better grip on that to yank when you really want the knot to come apart.

This is my GoTo sliding loop now, since it grips better (resists sliding when tight) than any other sliding loop that I've run across.

https://daveroot.neocities.org/knots/Knots_Hitches.html#SlidingSheetBend


SlidingSheetBend.png
 
The Clove Hitch is not one that I've ever liked. Learned that one in Boy Scouts as well, so I'll never forget how to tie it. For hitching something, now I use the Buntline Hitch. I usually slip it by pulling a loop through at the end instead of just the end of the cord, otherwise it can be almost impossible to untie after a heavy load has been put on it.

http://daveroot.neocities.org/knots/Knots_Hitches.html#BuntlineHitch

BuntlineHitch.png
 
...I put them into daily use, see for myself what works and what doesn't...

Aye, agreed. I have about 5-6 'Favs', and/or 'mix-match Variants', and I'm Set for like 99% of anything I need / want to secure.. :cool:

Recently tho, I was working at a Theater in Long Beach (yep, down in Zommiefornia for a bit.. o_O and spotted this 'Theater-specific' set of Knots 'Demo-board'... Thought it was worth a snap / post, herein..

Why-Knot.jpg

:cool:

Note that These were (apparently) chosen for their Outstanding capabilities at: Absolute, Positive 'latching' / securing (ie: the Tie-off / Hitches / Blood/Fishermans knots, etc) but Also, ones for 'adjustability', and ones to Positively 'grip' something / make into a 'handle', ie: Clove hitches w/ Lock, etc..)

Anyhoo, just thought it was a 'Good Demo-board' / some good additional Refs (and maybe a 'teaching-tool idea' for anyone who's got a 'MAG' / Scout-Troop... Kids, etc, etc.. :cool

Fwiw..
jd
 
I use the lumber tie knot some these days & ratchet straps.
 
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