Knots and how to tie them - it would seem that what’s so complicated about this? After all, we encounter them in Everyday life at every step and tie them without even thinking. From early childhood we were taught to tie shoelaces, girls were taught ribbons and bows, then men learned to tie a tie. And then - in everyday life, fishing, on vacation, hunting, in sports or maritime affairs - one way or another, but knots are present everywhere. Let's figure out how to tie knots on a rope correctly and which ones are the strongest.

What are nodes

Knots have existed for a long time; even our distant ancestors used them to create the first tools, clothing, and obtaining food: hunting and fishing. Essentially, a knot is a certain way of weaving ropes, fishing line, ribbons, threads and other things, a way to connect them together or tie them to something by creating a loop.

That is, the nodes have a very old and quite rich history both application and development. After all, in every business, craft, direction where they were used, they came up with their own types, the most convenient, strong or beautiful, depending on priorities. Such a connection can be woven from a different number of ropes, their different lengths, diameters. They differ in areas of application.

Which ones exist?

Knots can be sea, tourist, mountaineering, hunting or fishing - this is a difference in the scope of their application. For example, there are about seven hundred sea knots alone!

Certain requirements apply to each type. For example, tourist ones, in addition to the fact that they must be strong and simple: they must be easy to remember, easy to tie, not crawl under load, not tighten tightly if this is not necessary.

Of course, it is hardly possible to know how to tie knots on all types of rope, and it is not necessary. This is not available to any person on the planet. It is enough to simply understand how to tie knots on a rope tightly and so that they look presentable.

Of course, you won’t get a good, strong connection or the right loop right away. Need to learn how to tie strong knot on the rope, practicing, not just theory. Although it is also necessary to know the theoretical basis. For example, how to tie a knot at the end of a rope: fold the free edges into a loop, leaving a tail of the length that the knot is needed, thread it through it, and tighten it. The knot at the end of the rope is ready!

What determines the strength of a knot?

How to tie knots on a rope so that they are strong? The answer to this question is simple: firstly, you need to be able to knit them, no matter how trivial it may sound. And secondly, the rope itself must be strong enough for this, otherwise no matter how much knot tying skills you have, it will be of little use.

Any rope, cord or rope and everything from which knots are tied has its own strength characteristic. Moreover, if a rope is used, for example, to tie a tent to a peg or even a boat to a fishing pier, hardly anyone thinks much about the level of its strength. But in some areas of application of knots such inattention is unforgivable, for example, in mountaineering.

One fact is worth considering: any knot somehow makes the rope less strong, for example:

• the figure-eight knot weakens by a quarter;
• bowline - by a third;
• weaving - by 35%.

All other knots make the rope less strong by about the same amount. Also, for the level of strength of both the rope and the knot, it is worth considering the following:

• if it is wet, then its strength decreases by 10%;
• if used in severe frosts (up to 30 degrees), then it becomes less durable by a third;
• Ropes that are dirty, old, have been in the sun for a lot of time, or with damaged braiding lose half their strength.

Application options

Knots are found even in ordinary life at every step, and they can be both functional and simply decorative. For example, recently, bracelets or necklaces made from cords, laces and thin ropes tied in beautiful knots have become especially popular.

They are also used to tie two ropes of the same thickness. In tourism, instead of ropes, other materials can be used that have different thickness. Using a knot, you can tie a wide variety of loops: tightening, climbing, quick-release (aka bow), bowline, or those that are very difficult to untie. Keep in mind that most knots lead to chafing of the rope and also tend to unravel on their own.

Knot

Probably the most famous of all knots. You may not know how to tie it, but everyone has probably heard about it. What is it and how to tie a sea knot on a rope?

First of all, it must be said that there are several sea knots, and each of them has its own name: running simple, reef, bowline, snare, scaffold. All of them are tightening loops, with the help of which the ship was tied to the pier. Their peculiarity is a certain way of knitting and tightening the rope, in which it is stretched, making the knot reliable. And when the rope is loosened, the noose is easy to untie.

The bowline or arbor knot is most often used. There is nothing difficult in learning how to tie it, and such a skill can come in handy at any time. Tie it as follows:

• a small loop is made, a piece of rope of such length as the size of the knot is needed is left in stock;
• this end is threaded through the loop, as when tying a simple knot;
• wraps around the free end of the rope, threads it through the small one and tightens.

For tying two ropes

It happens that it is necessary to tie two or even more ropes together, and also add knots to already tied ropes. There are special loops for these purposes. So, how to tie a knot on a tied rope using a Flemish loop or a counter figure eight, which is one of the oldest, strongest and strongest:

• at the end of an untied rope, make a figure eight from its free edge;
• With the remaining end of the knotted one, they repeat the bends and thread them through them, while tightening the loop.

This knot practically does not weaken the strength of the rope, and is easy to untie if necessary.

Untied knot

Sometimes it is necessary to tie a loop that will not come undone under any circumstances. As a rule, this is one of these considered weaving. So, how to tie a strong knot on a rope that will definitely not come undone at the most inopportune moment? First of all, you need to understand that it is a combination of two knots, which are tied with running ends around the base:

• lay two ropes with ends facing each other;
• make a simple knot at one end;
• pass the end of the other through the loop made on the first, make a turn around its base;
• tie the same simple knot with the second rope;
• move both loops towards each other until they come together;
• Tighten the knot properly.

This is a very strong knot; for all its apparent simplicity, when pulled, it becomes so strong that it seems unlikely to untie it.

Beautiful knot

Of course, not all loops and knots serve exclusively for functional purposes; they are also used to create jewelry: bracelets, necklaces. Knots are also tied simply for good luck, used in macrame techniques, lace making and more.

And this is where knowing how to tie a beautiful knot on a rope comes in handy. But there are quite a lot of such knots, so we’ll tell you about a couple of the easiest and most attractive ones.

Everyone remembers and knows. So, if you intertwine one or more ropes in this way, you get a beautifully tied braid of knots.

Another popular pattern is a woven crown or, using the terminology of the macrame technique, cobra. Used to create textile bracelets, necklaces, baubles, keychains and laces for an umbrella or a dog leash. It is knitted from four ropes as follows:

• connect the ends of the ropes together;
• turn the ends towards you;
• tie a crown knot, making a loop from each rope and pulling the end that lies behind it into it;
• tighten and continue tying knots to the desired length.

The braided crown lace is ready! Now you can close its ends with special caps with a clasp, which can be purchased at a jewelry supply store, and use them as a bracelet or necklace.

Hiking, mountaineering, rock climbing. Without them you won’t be able to secure the crossing, you won’t be able to secure insurance. Various tourist hubs have been invented for different purposes:

• for tightening around an object;
• for tying ropes of the same thickness;
• for tying ropes of different thicknesses;
• for fixing the safety system;
• for knitting safety loops;
• and many other purposes.

Each node has its own peculiarity, so we will tell you in detail about each of them.

Straight knot

Sometimes tourists call it a “flat knot,” and sailors used to call it “Hercules’ knot.” It is tied in two ways.

At the ends of the rope there must be safety knots attached to the base, since a straight knot can be easily untied.

It is used exclusively for tying ropes of the same thickness and is not used if a lot of tension will be applied to the tied laces. This unit is not reliable for insurance purposes.

Its advantage is that, even when tightly tightened, a straight knot can be easily untied by stretching two ropes coming out from one side of the knot. Quick and easy to knit.

Swiss guide

Strong and reliable knot. Used for making loops at the ends of safety ropes, for tying “mustaches” on an athlete’s personal harness, and for other purposes where a secure loop needs to be tied. The Swiss guide does not need safety knots because it never unravels.

There are two ways to tie a Swiss wire:

1st method - on a rope folded in two

2nd method - a figure eight is knitted with one rope, and then the knot is duplicated with one end to make a double figure eight.

This node is the main one in sports tourism. To make it easy to untie, you need to carefully straighten all the ropes so that there are no overlaps.

Grasping knot

The gripping unit is used for belaying during ascent and descent on an inclined surface; on vertical ascents and descents it is used as an additional mandatory belay. A gripping knot is also used to tighten the crossings. How to knit it correctly can be seen in the figure.

A prusik is used to tie a grasping knot. The knot must be straightened, otherwise its ability to grab the rope and not slide along it in the event of a tourist’s fall will be lost.

Bowline knot

Any sailor knows how to tie a bowline knot correctly, but this knot is often used in tourism and mountaineering for tying ropes, tying them around a support, creating a non-tightening loop, and for some types of insurance. In the “Tourist Hubs” section it is considered the most multifunctional.

Tying a bowline with one hand is an important skill that helps in extreme situations. There are several ways to tie this knot, but there is only one correct way. The bowline should be knitted exactly like this:

The bowline knot has one drawback: it can slip (untie) under a certain load. Therefore, a safety net tied to the base must be present.

weaving knot

To tie a weaver's knot, you must be able to tie regular safety knots on a warp (rope). The knot is well suited for tying two ropes of the same thickness; it tends to tighten, lengthening the rope, and stretch, shortening it. This tourist knot is often used by fishermen to tie fishing line. If you select to tie a weaving knot The right way, then both nodes will be placed parallel; if not, one of them will be perpendicular to the other.

The weaving knot is not very reliable: it can slip and come undone, so safety knots are required on it.

grepwein knot

One of the most reliable and beautiful knots. It is used for tying the rope from which Prusik is made, as well as for tying any ropes of the same thickness, slings and tapes.

It has the ability to stretch like a weaving one, but is more reliable and does not require safety knots.

Complex tourist knots require a lot of patience in order for the tying method to be polished to the level of skill. Therefore, at the beginning of training you need to be very careful when knitting grepwein. The figure shows a detailed diagram of tying a grepwein and its correct appearance.

A person learns to knit knots from childhood. Having learned to tie shoelaces, the child knits his first knot. Throughout life, it is difficult to even imagine in what situations knowledge of tying knots can be useful.

Self-tightening knot - what is it

Most types of knots and methods of tying them came into use modern world from the navy, although in this area it is used infrequently due to its unreliability. The fact is that a self-tightening knot holds tightly only under constant load; at the moment of weakening, it is quite capable of coming undone. Despite this, there are areas for its application.

This is the simplest original knot and, in general, represents one of the simplest types of noose. This unit reliably withstands heavy weight and traction proportional to the strength of the cable or other material from which it is made. But you need to be careful when using it, making sure that the load on the node does not weaken.

For better reliability, there are several variations of this unit.

Tying a knot

The methods of tying this knot are among the simplest and fastest. All you need to create it is a rope with a running end and a support. Fishermen use a spool for this purpose.

The end of the rope is wrapped around the support, thus forming an open loop. At the end of the rope or fishing line you need to form a loop. First make a winding around it behind the running end and create a closed loop. The running end of the loop needs to make several turns and exit through the main loop. Pull it, the knot will tighten and, under load, show all its power.

To improve the strength of the knot itself when knitting, a self-tightening knot with half bayonets is used. It is performed no more difficult than the standard one. After performing the basic knitting technique, two half-bayonets are formed on the weight side. Maximum effect this type is achieved when certain conditions are met:

• if it is formed off-center;
• if the running end should be directed towards the intended load.

Where is it used?

He will find his place in all spheres of life. It is often used in mountaineering, in warehouses (they are used for hanging heavy objects). Fishermen use it when tying gear for fishing from the shore.

Shock-absorbing units are popular. They are formed on an additional rope, which is used to connect a spare fastening in case of destruction of the main one. There are also self-tightening units for transporting goods or for various rescue work. These include the braking unit, “belts” and mariner.

There are two types of fastenings - simple and complex, for different life situations. In the navy, the original self-tightening knot is rarely used, with preference given to its variations.

Fastening

The mount is often popular with fishermen. Although experienced fishermen suggested tying a self-tightening knot for fishing line without additional parts, their use makes life much easier. The fastening helps to fix the loops during knitting, prevents the knot from unraveling abruptly, and simplifies the knitting process. On the shelves fish stores Now you can see reels with a stopper for attaching the braid. Many anglers reel in the line held by the spool without unnecessary fasteners, but only those who have gained experience over many years.

Kinds

There are 18 types of self-tightening knots in total, but using one rope there are only 4 types:

● Classic Prusik.

● Cross.

● With an “arb” carbine.

● Bachmann knot (with carabiner).

The number of turns is unstable; if necessary, it can be increased.

It is necessary to highlight one of the strongest knots - the constrictor knot. It gets its name from the zoological name for the boa constrictor, Boa constrictor, which defeats its prey by strangulation. This one with

The self-tightening knot for rope is reliable and is made using rounded objects instead of support. As soon as the support disappears, it dissolves itself.

Use of the knot by anglers

A self-tightening knot for the top of the head is actively used by fishermen. It is a structure made from a block of tops with a weight. Tying such a tackle is quite simple.

To do this you will need a fishing line, a double leader and a sinker. A special sinker must be purchased at the store, otherwise the entire device may fail. Most often it looks like a horseshoe with a hole in the center of the product. The top bar is tightened using a self-tightening knot and hung with hooks.

To decorate the tackle, take a fishing line 4 mm in diameter and up to 50 cm in length. The fishing line is pushed through the hole into the sinker to the middle, after which it is brought up. Insulation is put on it and a loop is made. After this, a self-tightening knot is formed, onto which the crown is attached. The insulation serves as a fastener for a long leash on the side of the free end of the fishing line, onto which a swivel is attached to protect the fishing line from twisting in the current. Having secured the cake block with hooks, you can consider the task completed. The workpiece is attached with a carabiner to the main fishing line. The bait is ready to be cast. Getting into the water, it gradually gets wet, and the crumbling cake from the top spreads in the reservoir, attracting the desired fish.

Nautical

Initially, a self-tightening rope knot was created by sailors to secure sails and various items on deck. Reliable nodes are the key to success, because the seas and oceans are so turbulent. During the heyday of navigation, there were more than 500 types of knots. Tying sea knots is a whole science. But with the introduction of the steam engine, the need for sails disappeared, and knots began to be used less. And the change in the composition of the materials of cables and ropes caused some knots to lose their effectiveness.

A self-tightening knot was used in maritime affairs for fastening to cylindrical objects. It is simply called a noose, since the hanged noose was tied according to the same principle. In the event of no load or variable traction, the running end slides out, dissolving the entire assembly. This was the reason for refusing to use it. Therefore, the navy began to use the constrictor knot and self-tightening with half bayonets. The peculiarity of its knitting is that the knot itself is placed offset, so that the running end is directed towards the load. Due to this, it will not slip out so quickly.

Advantages

The self-tightening knot has gained recognition primarily due to its ease of knitting and high efficiency. Despite its unreliability, it is often used, but only in those cases when they are sure of the presence of constant weighting. Not required when forming a node Additional materials or devices. The main task, which it copes with brilliantly, is to withstand a load proportional to the density of the cable (rope, fishing line, cable) from which the knot is knitted.

If there is constant weight, the knot is not able to untie on its own, only manually, which will also not cause trouble. It is as easy to untie as it is to tie. This advantage was appreciated by fishermen and climbers, for whom every second is precious. This property makes this node a leader.

Even a child can learn how to knit a noose, and correct use contributes to the maximum realization of the expected result - reliable retention of heavy weight.

Any sea knot must be tied tightly and reliably, because safety largely depends on this, and at the same time, so that at any time it can be easily untied if necessary.

What beginners should consider before training

It is often difficult for beginners to understand the terminology that is used when explaining the basics of tying sea knots, so it is worth initially learning a few basic definitions:

1) root end - the fixed end of the cable;
2) the running end is free, i.e. the loose end from which all movements begin when knitting any of the knots.

In English terminology for maritime knots there is the following classification:

1) knot – knots that are characterized as interlacing or connecting the running end with the root;
2) bend - knots that are characterized as intertwining the running ends of two cables to combine into one;
3) hitch - knots that are characterized as attaching the running end to some object.

For beginners in maritime affairs, it is important to master the basic types of knots that are most often used in practice, and on the basis of which it is easy to understand the principle of the formation of other varieties.

Main maritime nodes

Arbor knot/bowline- one of the most important maritime knots, which every sailor should master first. It contains elements of various marine knots, which makes it an almost universal knot, which is used for insurance, mooring, and for attaching the cable to the hook. Tying two cables with this sea knot is considered the most reliable. A significant advantage is that it can be used for cables of any diameter and made of any material. It knits easily, does not slip along the rope, is easy to untie, but at the same time it never comes undone and is especially reliable. Because of such versatility, the gazebo knot is often called the king of sea knots.

How to tie a bower knot:

1) create a loop from top to bottom;
2) pull the running end through the formed loop;
3) then pass the running end behind the main one and thread it through the loop again, after which the running end should end up in another loop;
4) tighten tightly.

Although the arbor knot is quite strong, untying it will also not be a problem; you just need to slightly move the loop of the running end in relation to the slightly weakened root end.

Eight- a typical classic sea knot, named after its shape. It is the basis of many knots and is commonly used as a stopper and securing knot. The main advantage of the figure eight is the ease of tying and untying, even when the cable gets wet.

How to tie a figure eight knot:

1) wrap the running end around the main end, and then pull it over it, thereby forming a loop;
2) pass the running end into the resulting loop, first bringing it behind you;
3) tighten tightly.

Straight knot- one of the oldest sea knots, which the ancient Greeks called Herculean. Its main purpose is to connect two cables of the same diameter. The straight knot is often used, but is far from the most reliable sea knot. His main drawback slipping along the cable and being pulled tightly under heavy loads or when wet, so in such cases it is better not to use it.

Tie a straight knot It’s quite simple: one running end is in one direction, the other in the other (if in one direction, you’ll get an unreliable so-called “woman’s” knot), and to untie you just need to pull the running and main ends in different directions.

A simple half-bayonet and its more complex variations

Simple half bayonet- a widespread simple, non-tightening sea knot, which underlies more complex variations of this kind. To obtain it, you need to circle the running end around the object to which the cable will be attached, and then circle it around the root end and pass it through the resulting loop. Then the running end is attached to the main end. This unit is highly reliable and can withstand strong traction perfectly.

- a more complex version of a simple half-bayonet, which is formed from two such identical knots. Its main purpose is to secure mooring lines on piers and tow. Such a knot is formed by no more than three half-bayonets. A larger number will not in any way affect the strength and reliability of the knot, as eloquently evidenced by the English proverb, which states that three half-bayonets are enough even for a royal yacht.

Simple bayonet with hose- a sea knot, similar to a simple bayonet, with only one additional hose around the object to which the cable is attached. It is also used for mooring, especially during long stays, since it is more reliable than anything else.

Fishing bayonet/anchor knot- one of the oldest and most reliable units, which is used for attaching a cable to an anchor, as well as for all work with cables under the influence of strong traction. It is in many ways similar to a simple bayonet with a hose, only the first half-bayonet passes inside the hose, covering the fastening item.

It is important to develop such good skills in tying sea knots that even with eyes closed be able to easily tie the required specific situation knot, and practice in this matter is one of the main conditions for the successful development of this art.

The knot in rock climbing and mountaineering is one of the basic elements. For a climber, practicing knots is as crucial as knowing how to knit. maritime knots during the times of sailing. It would be correct to say that the basics modern technology Knotting was formed precisely in that pre-steamship era. The sailors had to climb the masts at a decent height and fix the sails in such a way that they could withstand the enormous force of the wind pushing the ship.

The requirements have changed little since then. They should be strong, provide a secure fit and, if possible, be easy to untie.

What nodes are there?

No one can give an exact answer to the question of how many options there are to tie a knot. With all the variations and nuances, there are a couple of thousand of them. It is clear that there is hardly a person who, at least in theory, knows all of them.

To be fair, it should be noted that there are people who are particularly fanatical about knotting and masterfully know how to knit a hundred or two options. Most climbers use a limited set.

It is customary to identify a basic set that should be mastered by any person intending to take up mountaineering. In this category you should name:

• Flemish (eight);
• double fisherman (grapevine);
• Italian (UIAA);
• stirrup;
• prusik;
• oak.

You can also highlight a block of main additional nodes that are used by more experienced climbers:

• bowline;
• Austrian guide (butterfly);
• Austrian grasping;
• French grasping;
• Munter's knot;
• Garda loop.

General rules

1. A certain knot should always be knitted the same way, without any variations.
2. The knots must be “beautiful”, have the correct pattern, and not have overlaps.
3. Be sure to tighten the rope well.
4. The length of the free ends is from 6 rope diameters.

Basic nodes

Knowledge of basic knots and the ability to combine them is enough to solve most mountaineering problems.

Flemish (eight)

The simplest, most universal and most multifunctional unit. Used for belaying, for tying two ropes, for organizing a bundle. Has several options:

• Simple figure eight (for insurance)
• Double figure eight (for organizing a high-reliability belay station)
• Counter figure eight (tying the ends of two ropes)

It got its name because, when tied, the rope “draws” the number “8”.

Double fisherman (grapevine)

One of the most reliable, which, unlike the Flemish eight, is also suitable for tying ropes different diameters. To do this, the ropes are laid parallel. First, one rope is knitted onto the other, then vice versa. The peculiarity of grapevine is that it requires a good tightening. A small drawback is that it is difficult to untie.

Italian (half stirrup, UIAA) and stirrup

You need to know the node because it is used when climbing or rappelling in the absence of a belay device. It consists of one and a half loops secured in a pear-shaped carabiner. It ensures good rope glide. Allows you to control the course of the cable, protecting yourself from falling.

The stirrup is a more sophisticated version of the Italian half stirrup. It consists of two loops attached to a carabiner, a support, or any object with smooth surface, as well as on a tree, pole, etc. Used for making stirrups and stretchers.

Prusik

Belongs to the group of grasping knots. Knitted with an auxiliary rope (rep cord) onto the main rope. Used for insurance when ascending and descending, when lifting a load, when pulling a rope at a crossing. The advantage of the Prusik is its “double” state. If the cord is loosened, it moves easily along the rope, but when a load is applied, it tightens and stops the movement.

The ratio of the diameter of the cord to the base is important - 2:3. That is, with a cord diameter of 7 mm, the base should be approximately 10 mm. Also, the cord should be soft, with nylon braid. Kevlar and Dyneema ropes should be avoided.

Oak knot

Advantage - ability the best way pass obstacles and avoid getting stuck in relief dissections. It is a safe alternative to the counter figure eight when descending a double rope with the need for further pulling.

It is easy to knit a knot (it is also called a simple flat one) - at the end of the rope, in the middle, with one end. It tightens when loading. On hard ropes with a heavy load it crawls slowly. But in any case, the load at which the oak knot begins to creep is twice that at which the figure eight slips. The scope of use is wide: for attaching a loop to something, for tying a prusik to a safety system, to use it as a “just in case” knot when lifting and other situations.

Additional nodes

Although basic mountaineering tasks can be performed using only a basic set of nodes, more complex additional options allow you to act more efficiently and quickly. Most of them require knitting a mandatory control knot close to the controlled one.

Bowline

Reliable, but limited in application. It is not suitable for tying to a rope, for blocking the chest harness. The main application is tying to a support: to a tree, rings, pillar, stone. Under variable loads it tends to creep. Pros: It does not tighten too much and is easy to untie, which is why it is widely used in rock climbing. In a bowline, you cannot load the station loop, but only the main exit rope.

Austrian Guide (Butterfly)

Lightweight and in some situations irreplaceable. Used to form braking knots in a bundle, to isolate a damaged section of a rope, to form an attachment point on a rope, to tie two ropes of the same diameter. It requires almost no skills; even beginners can knit it easily. After removing the load, it can be easily untied.

Austrian grasper

The design and purpose are the same as those of the Prusik. It can serve as a belay device, a clamp, or be used for fixing on a rope. The Austrian grasper is considered the best for use in extreme conditions: on an icy, dirty, wet rope. It is rigidly fixed to the rope, bending it, minimizing slippage. For this reason, he is not the most the best choice for organizing an overhead crossing.

The number of turns of the cord around the main rope can be increased on a thin and slippery rope, thereby achieving greater reliability. On the double, on the contrary, it is reduced. The average number of turns is from 6 to 10. The ratio of the diameter of the cord and the base has the same meaning as in a prusik.

French grasper

Light version of the Austrian version. He is more mobile on the main rope. Suitable for situations where the system needs to be weakened under load, for example during rescue operations and emergency descent of a victim. Compared to the Prusik and Austrian grasper, it requires less effort to control.

Munter's knot

Complex knot combination: half stirrup, reef and control knots. It is used when organizing a crossing, for attaching a gripping unit to the station, and for blocking belay devices.

Loop Guard

Has a limited scope. Used when organizing load lifting in a pulley system. Since the loop is firmly fixed by the applied load, it is not used as a top belay.

It is easy to knit, which allows you to minimize the requirements for the condition of the rope. The loop does a great job on wet, dirty and icy ropes. It is effective only when tying two unclutched carabiners, which, in turn, must be attached to a free loop. Only in such a system will the Garda loop function correctly.