Some Common Knots |
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"Knots" - the history of knots is as long as it is varied. Amongst the thousands of different knots that are known there will probably be two maybe three that most people use without even thinking about how to tie them. Then there will probably be another half dozen or so that you will use and have to think about what you are doing. The most common knot that people use without thinking about it, is the Granny Knot. This knot is one of the easiest knots to tie and when pulled tight , it is probably one of the most difficult knots to undo. It is almost never used aboard sea going vessels because in wet conditions, it has proven to be dangerous and has been the cause of a great number of accidents. It has a counterpart for danger, another knot that many people will know how to tie, the Reef Knot. This knot will spill easily and is particularly dangerous for lifting loads in any condition. The main use for this knot is to join two strands together, however there are safer ways to do this. Another easy to tie and well known knot is the Thumb Knot. Another knot we often take for granted is the one we tie in our shoelaces the Bow Knot. It is perhaps the second most universally known knot and taught to each of us while still children, probably even before we have learned to tie the granny. There are several variations to this knot apart from the one you know.
Without even realizing it knots affect our lives in many ways that in almost all cases are invisible to us and can only be detected when looked for. Many of these knots are known as working knots and have been developed for special purposes.For instance a knot called the Weavers Knot is used to join the two ends of cotton together while weaving material. Without this very useful knot the clothes we wear would have loose ends in them and unravel easily. Another knot that we probably won't see around us is the Constrictor Knot, this knot can used to tie the tops of canvas bags so the contents won't spill out, and is done in such a way that the canvas bag can be reused. One knot that the rock and mountain climber will know and in all probability use is the Double Figure of Eight Knot . The knot is based on the Figure Eight knot which is doubled back upon itself. This forms a loop in one end which the climbers harness can be attached to. It is a very safe knot which is relatively easy to undo after having great strain placed upon it. As a knot it has saved many climbers from falling to certain death. This knot is usually used in conjunction with Two Half Hitches. Another classification of knots are decorative knots. These knots can be seen in many different situations. The armed forces around the world use decorative knots on their uniforms. Often referred to as gold braid or "Scrambled egg" when worn on military hats. There are numerous classifications of knots amongst them trick, button, sinnet and practical. Almost every trade uses knots in some form or another, many of which have historical roots. An example of this is the Monkey's Fist. This knot has been in use for several hundred years on sailing vessels. More recently it has been used decoratively on key rings. However, the origin of this knot is unknown. There are a number of variations on this knot that also serve the same purpose, to bring vessels alonside when mooring at the dockside or to pass lines from vessel to vessel while at sea. All the above knots can be considered working knots except scrambled egg which is purely decorative. Besides these knots there are many thousands of others, some of which can have up to 15 different names. Decorative knots can have many more variations. An example of a decorative knot that also has a practical purpose is the Turks head. The turks head can be made from a single strand of rope and multiplied up to any size you want. This very useful decorative knot can also be made using multiple strands. The larger variations of this knot would need to be placed on a jig in order to tie them successfully. If you are interested in learning more about knots and their applications, want to learn how to tie knots or are just interested in knots as a hobby, follow the link below. The International Guild of Knot Tyers (IGKT) have a declared ojective of "the advancement of education by the study of the art, craft and science of knotting, past and present" |
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