"One of the best but most misused of knots is the Reef or Square Knot. Employed as a Binding Knot, to reef and furl sails or to tie
up parcels, it is invaluable".
Clifford W. Ashley - The Ashley Book Of Knots
|
The reef knot can be
considered an unsafe knot when human life depends on it. If used to tie two ends of any rope or cord together this knot will spill
easily when any of the ends are tugged. The knot will spill into reversed half hitches and will then continue to slip resulting in the
the two joined ends coming apart.
 Misuse of this knot to lift loads can result in accidents occuring when the knot begins to
spill slips. This knot has been the cause of many deaths.
The best way to remember how to tie this knot is to hold the ends you want to join with the left-hand line behind the right. You then recite left
over right as you pass the left-hand cord under and over and right. Next reverse this, reciting right over left as you now pass the right
hand line over and behind the lefthand line. You then slip the line back through the loop next to the original line. Watch the animation and this
this will become clear.
|
