Knots

Clovehitch

Truckers hitch? (From about 1 minute in).

Tim

In most applications for the clove hitch or rolling hitch, this one can be used:

Well that one certainly tenses the line up nicely, but there's a dirty great loop around the rail you could throw your hat through. I need that to be held tightly like a slipknot would (a slipknot's no good btw as it doesn't tension the line).

I'm glad somebody brought this up as I am also bad at this. I think the problem is that with no sight, trying to explain the way you make them is a challenge, as they like to show you pictures and videos. This ability to tie knots would be very handy for my short wave listening to tension aerials without using bunjis or weights on pulleys. Brian

If it makes you feel any better, I practiced 3 knots for some yachting course I went on some years ago: the bowline, the stopper knot and the clove hitch. I practiced them every evening for 6 months but when it came to the exam, I couldn't remember how to do *any* of them! The only reason I can do a full windsor knot on a tie is thanks to muscle memory from 13 years of school way back in the day. I find these 'holes' in ability we all have absolutely fascinating. So many people don't know they have them, in fact. We all have our strengths and weaknesses.

Good lord. The best thing about a clove hitch when its to a POST is that its incredibly simple. form a loop, form another loop, slide the second under the first and both over the post! I do have to think about a bowline a bit.

Not sure what a stopper knot is...<googles> ah. Those. Hmm. Since its mostly nylon cord that needs stopping, a random lump sealed with a cigarette lighter works better....

The

Well yes, same here.

Those people who keep suggesting the clove hitch clearly didn't understand the original question. That may well be my fault; it's hard to describe what I'm trying to do here with text only. The CH is fine as regards gripping the rail (or whatever it is) securely. However, it does not lend itself to lashing down. You can't subsquently shorten the rope's length by pulling on the free end. That's where it falls down.

You mean you want a sort of rat s*it effect? Assymetry in knots is unusual. Maybe a genuine rat s*it would work ...?

A ratchet effect, yes. That's what I mean by "lashing down" - but done by a knot solely with rope.

Tie one end off. Tie a loop somewhere in the middle of the rope, pass the free end around the other securing point and through the loop, then pull on the free end to tension the rope. When it is tight enough, tie off the free end.

I didn't work out for *decades* that whether you pull the first loop under the overlap from back-to-front, or from front-to-back makes a different to how tightly they stay tied!

I can't do this from a text description I'm afraid. I need the *name* for a knot that can do what I need it to do so I can look it up on Youtube and see a demonstration of how to tie it.

In message snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com, Cursitor Doom snipped-for-privacy@notformail.com writes

Hauliers knot? Lot of work and wasted rope in my opinion but I never learned to do one successfully.

Google only offers a Truckers Hitch!

It’s really not that hard once you’ve got the knack. What you call “wasted rope” is actually a clever way of introducing a “double pulley” into the knot so that you can achieve a higher tension in the rope.

Tim

Try asking Mr Google for 'ratchet knot'.

The problem is that it isn't a named knot; more of a technique.

This bloke is a bit annoying, but he demonstrates it quite well:

Well the trucker's hitch is the front-runner so far. I think I can adapt it to work for me. It won't be ideal, but if no one comes up with any better suggestion, I'll be going with that.