View Full Version : Rope - very handy stuff!
As part of our firefighting gear, we were all issued a 6 foot length of 8mm utility rope. We are under orders to keep this rope with us at all times, even in civilian clothing, and whenever we aren't doing anything else, we are supposed to practice tying the various Required Knots, as we need to get to the point where we are able to tie them in the dark, under pressure, wearing heavy gloves, in odd orientations.
The knots required by the NFPA are quite pedestrian:
- safety knot (just an overhand knot to finish the end of a line so it doesn't pull through a real knot)
- half hitch
- clove hitch in the open
- figure eight
- figure eight on a bight
- follow-through figure-eight
- bowline
- sheet bend
So, easy stuff for any Cub Scout.
However, I have observed that by simply having on your person at all times a 6 foot length of rope, you encounter all sorts of things in your daily life that are made easier by simply reaching into your pocket, popping out the rope, and doing Something Appropriate with it. Uses that wouldn't occur to you if you had to stop whatever you were doing, go find a rope, bring it back, and then deploy it. It's almost as much of a routine-changer as always having a pocket knife handy.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-eclht29_JN0/URvWeyyX60I/AAAAAAAAHQw/gxxKn3xe8Ks/s720/Awesomized.jpg
I admire those like yourself, Bae, who know knots, and how to tie them. My husband has shown me (again and again) how to tie a few simple knots, yet I just can't master it.
I admire those like yourself, Bae, who know knots, and how to tie them. My husband has shown me (again and again) how to tie a few simple knots, yet I just can't master it.
I'd say about 2/3 of our academy class started out rope/knot illiterate. You can be "shown" how to tie a knot many times, and be able to do it correctly for the next 5-10 minutes, but from observing folks, the skill perishes in about 2 hours.
However, the way the academy has had people simply tie a specified knot over-and-over-and-over, hundreds of repetitions, seems to burn the skill into the hands of the learner. Which I guess was their idea. It's not as boring as it sounds, you just bring out the rope when you are waiting for the teakettle to boil, or while you are watching TV, or while you are waiting on people arriving for a meeting.
The key seems to be lots of practice at what is really a simply physical skill. You just need to get it grooved into your muscles and nervous system. Which I suspect is really important if you are trying to do this under stress.
The one thing about knot-tying that always amazes me, is the smooth rhythm that a good knot-tier possesses. You can tell (right from the start) an experienced knot-tier from a beginner. Movements are refined and polished, and it's as if the knot materializes like magic when at the hands of a well-honed knot-practitioner. One second there's a plain untied rope, and the next second, a fancy knot!
Knot-tying seems meditative... even good for the mind. Love the esthetic qualities of a well-tied knot, too! Some are so pretty and intricate. All look so complicated. LOL! P.S. The cup of coffee looks great, too!
My husband can tie this one knot, where it will not loosen (not even a bit). In fact, it keeps getting tighter and tighter. It will not pull the opposite way (to loosen) no matter what. Do you know of the knot I'm talking about, Bae?
P.S. Also, do remember as a kid, watching people tying-off their boat lines to secure their crafts (dockside). Very interesting. They'd quickly tie-off two or three lines in seconds! They looked like hitch-type knots... a couple quick passes, then through, then toss over dock-secure, done.
To add... My husband tied an real authentic hangman's noose for the boys (to show them how it was done), 13 coils and all... and if I'm not mistaken, that knot, too, will not/does not loosen.
Our species has been making rope for ~30,000 years now, there are *a lot* of knots :-)
One fascinating thing about the fire service is that they have selected only a handful of knots that they require everyone to use, so everyone knows how to tie/untie them, and nobody clever causes problems by being too clever :-)
LOL! Makes perfect sense.
This thread reminds me of my husband teaching the boys how to tie a hook to a fishing line.
rosarugosa
2-13-13, 8:20pm
My Dad was a Captain in the Merchant Marines who went sea for his entire adult life, and he was very skilled with knots. He taught me many of them and we produced quite a bit of quality macrame back in the seventies. DH & I made a baby swing out of all squares and half-squares for a gift many years ago. I still know the hangman's knot, but I'm a bit rusty since I just tie an occasional square knot these days.
ToomuchStuff
2-14-13, 11:41am
I half expected to see someone tied up, the way the post started (how to shut up a salesman sort of thing). It made me think of an old t shirt I still wear (about worn out, becoming a painting project shirt): Silence is golden, duct tape is silver (duct tape over a smiley faces mouth).:laff:
Knots and block and tackles, are still two skills I need to practice more, as I have had projects where they would be VERY handy.
One of my happy childhood memories is of my father teaching me to tie a knot for a fishing hook. I got good at it and loved doing it. It's still the only knot I know and I use it for various things where I want a good knot (not for fishing, do not fish).
Neat-O, Rosa!
ToomuchStuff. How about this one. http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRcZHnLEBROXZd8CRnJ05FJ55p0xsfPG bhR2qyQhCAknaGCTPSmUl1rlDc
Larknm. My husband was telling me that tying the right knot (proper fishing knot), can mean the difference between the line holding up to, and exceeding it's rated strength. He said most often , the knot tied, is where the line fails.
Oh Bae you are reminding me of my bootcamp days in the coast guard. We also had to carry around a piece of line (rope) to practice all of our knots. Can't remember how many we had to learn (9?) but I've forgotten them all with the exception of a clove hitch and a bowline (the rabbit goes around the tree and down the hole :-)!). Since I got out of bootcamp as a fireman (you are either a fireman or a seaman when you finish bootcamp) and went into the engineering sector I didn't do much knot work afterwords but was always very impressed with the deck crews (seaman, boatswain mates, etc...) knot skills. They could do the most elaborate things I've ever seen with ropes and lines - from tying knots to splicing lines to making all sort sof things. I once dated a Boatswain mate on another ship and he "wrapped" my B-day present (earrings) in a very elaborate twined rope-ball he tied around it (I think it was called a Turks Head or Monkeys Fist and we used them as weighted balls to throw a tow line to another vessel). Tres romantic!
Originally posted by Spartana.
clove hitch and a bowline (the rabbit goes around the tree and down the holeYes! I totally remember that! I would have forgotten about it had you not mentioned it!
After Bae's first 8 knots, what do you think are the next 5 most useful to learn?
After Bae's first 8 knots, what do you think are the next 5 most useful to learn?
I'd add:
- Alpine Butterfly http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_Loop
- Bowline on a Bight http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowline_on_a_bight
- Handcuff Knot http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handcuff_knot
- Fireman's Chair Knot variant of above: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireman%27s_chair_knot
- Taut-line Hitch http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taut-line_hitch
Thanks, Bae. That next set looks useful too.
How about knots that can be used around the house, or for household projects, or for 100 item living?
For example the knot mentioned above for fishing. Are there any fishing knots that make good bait in and of themselves?
And there are fishing nets and hammocks by the shore.
People may have seen Chinese ball buttons or frogs for fastening clothing.
http://www.sewingconnection.com/sc10ball.html
There is also more Chinese knotting for clothing and accessories
see Chinese Knotting or The Complete Book of Chinese Knotting and there are a few others
Knotted slings/small hammocks for hanging pots.
There are also ways of knotting cloth to turn it into clothing, accessories, or ways of carrying bundles.
What else could we do with string or rope and some carefully chosen knots?
After Bae's first 8 knots, what do you think are the next 5 most useful to learn?
I think Bae covered them all but I'll add a sheepshank knot which is used to shorten a rope so you don't have to cut it. It holds firm when taut but easily releases when slack. We used it all the time in the CG. I can think of about 40 different types of knots used in seamanship but have never used any of them myself. Well occasionally a timber hitch and something called a half hitch with two turns or something like that. Oops I think that's a round turn with two half hitches.
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