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What Knots Do You Use?

lxskllr

lxskllr

No Lifer
Been looking over Wikipedia's selection of knots. I'm familiar with most of them in concept, but couldn't tie most without a diagram.

Here's what I use regularly...

Bowline
good for a loop at the end of a rope that holds strong, and is resistant to jamming
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowline

Sheet bend
good for many things beyond it's primary use which is joining ropes of different diameters. Holds strong, and doesn't reduce the working load as much as many knots. Can also fix broken shoelaces, doesn't jam on larger cordage. Use a double wrap on slippery synthetics.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheet_bend

Truckers cinch
Doubles the force applied to tightening a load(excepting friction and other losses). Can be expanded to a Zdrag which can unstick cars from the mud, or loosening a boat wrapped around a rock. Use biners, or preferably pulleys to reduce friction and binding. Parts can jam up after a heavy load, and may require work to get apart.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trucker's_hitch

anchor bend
Makes a strong attachment to an anchor of some sort, with little reduction on strength. Easy to tie.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchor_bend

Fisherman's knot
Joins two ends of a rope, double for extra security. I carry a prussik loop made from paracord, and a toy biner on my belt every day for work. Have use it for quick tie offs, and a strap wrench. So useful, with little room or weight taken up.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisherman's_knot

that's all the ones I use regularly, but there's a few others I use for more specialized tasks. Here's Wikipedia's full list, which is only a tiny fraction of all knots...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_knots
 
Those and a taut line hitch, two half hitches, mooring hitch, clove hitch, and a square knot.

<-ex boy scout.
 
Fleet, Bowline, Reef, Clove Hitch & Rolling Hitch. Ex Navy here. Although I do have a soft spot for the Gordian Knot.
 
Square, half hitch, figure eight family of knots(mostly), water knot for webbing. Instead of a trucker's knot I use the transport tightening system (figure eight slip with a loop)

fig7-10.gif
 
Granny knot to tie my shoes. I don't really have much use for other knots. The only other thing I can think of that I tie is plastic shopping bags closed containing stank ass kitty litter.

Looking at Wikipedia's list of knots, I guess I assumed it was a granny knot that I used but looking at that picture, I can't frickin tell. That red/blue knot picture is sure in the hell not helpful. Whatever, I use the simple way you learn to tie your shoes.

EDIT: I think it was because I thought a granny knot is what is actually an overhand knot. I'm a knot expert, in case you couldn't tell.
 
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Depends I guess.

I learned a lot of knots in the Scouts myself at a young age, can still do the one handed bowline thing.

Adjustable knots, fishing knots etc vary a bit.

Have actually used a Swiss Seat one time for a situation.
 
clamum said:
Granny knot to tie my shoes. I don't really have much use for other knots. The only other thing I can think of that I tie is plastic shopping bags closed containing stank ass kitty litter.

Looking at Wikipedia's list of knots, I guess I assumed it was a granny knot that I used but looking at that picture, I can't frickin tell. That red/blue knot picture is sure in the hell not helpful. Whatever, I use the simple way you learn to tie your shoes.

EDIT: I think it was because I thought a granny knot is what is actually an overhand knot. I'm a knot expert, in case you couldn't tell.
Click to expand...

Easy way is to compare the free ends, and their position over/under the loop. If you're like me, you might tie shoes different every time. Sometimes I have a nice square knot, and other times a granny. If you want something that holds, a square is the best of that general type. Granny knots tend to collapse, and come untied, though it can happen to a square also. Hard to beat tbe beautiful symmetry of square knot.

edit:
Speaking of symmetry, the figure 8 is a nice looking stopper knot; at least until it gets mashed up through use. Add another wrap for more bulk, and it's called a stevedore knot, though it doesn't look as nice.
 
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Many of those mentioned, plus a couple of other fishing knots (palomar, double surgeon's, trilene, cinch knot, improved cinch, and uni-knot.) Though, I had to look at the images to see which is which; I use those knots without really caring what the name of the knot is. There are a variety of other types of knots I use, depending on what I'm trying to tie, and how much tension is going to be on the rope/line.

Fishing - #1 knot tying activity. Boating - plenty of knots - attaching the anchor to new rope, tying off the boat at a dock, depending on what I'm tying it to - sometimes it's a ring, other times it's a pole. Tying boats together in the middle of the lake using a cleat hitch, though at the dock I don't use a cleat hitch; I use a hmmmmm... not sure what it's called. Sort of a double surgeon's loop combined with a cow hitch, or something like that.
 
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