Geoffrey Budworth - The Knot Book

(Overhand Knot, Overhand Loop, Noose, Slip Knot, Packers Knots, Water Knot, Figure of Eight Knot, Figure of Eight Loop Knot, Flemish Bend, Phoebe Knot, Double Overhand Knot, Crossing Knot, Running Figure of Eight Knot, Crabbers Eye Knot);

(Span Knot, Snitch Knot, Weavers Knot).

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KNOTS FOR JOINING THE ENDS OF LINES TOGETHER

KNOTS FOR ATTACHING A LINE TO A RAIL, POST, ANOTHER LINE, etc.

Fishermans Bend

Killick Hitch

KNOTS TIED IN THE END OF LINES AS STOPPER KNOTS

Double Overhand Knot

Figure of Eight Knot

Overhand Knot

Overhand Loop

Slip Knot

BINDING KNOTS

SINGLE LOOP KNOTS IN THE END OF LINES
N.B. Starred (*) knots are sliding loops which may be adjusted to size

Crabbers Eye Knot

Noose*

Overhand Loop

Packers Knots

Running Figure of Eight Loop*

LOOP KNOTS TIED IN THE BIGHT OF LINES

MULTIPLE LOOP KNOTS TIED IN THE END OF LINES
FOR RESCUES, SALVAGE, ETC.

KNOTS FOR VARIOUS OTHER PURPOSES

Crossing Knot (parcels)

Greef Knot (magic)

Phoebe Knot (craftsman)

Waggoners Hitch (truck drivers) 66,

No one can be wholly original on knots. Too many others have drawn and written about them. I gratefully acknowledge all those sources from which I have consciously or unconsciously acquired my knotting know how.

My thanks go to Mr J C Bates of British Ropes Ltd for bringing together publisher and author; and to Mr Peter Manners, the works manager, for his time and encouragement.

A number of friends within the International Guild of Knot Tyers have kindly given me permission to use their original ideas which I am pleased to portray and describe in print for the first time. I am especially indebted to Canadian climber and guide Bob Chisnall. My knowledge of climbers knots was largely learned from him. He is also a clever knotting innovator. The Double Hedden Knot is his variation of an established knot. Hunters Loop, the Adjustable Knot, and the Three Quarter Figure of Eight Loops are further examples of his inventiveness. The Double Munter Friction Hitch (which may also be called a Double Crossing Knot) is recommended as a climbers knot but so far only infrequently adopted by them. His Ontario and Algonquin Bowlines are experiments not in general climbing use and (it should be noted) may be regarded as new knots.

Its hard to choose from the many knots by Desmond Mandeville, but I unhesitatingly introduce his Tumbling Thief Knot to the knotting scene, together with the Poor Mans Pride and also Bend X. Ettrick W Thomson has contributed his method of tying the Poor Mans Pride.

Others to whom I am indebted for their own original material are my younger daughter Julie for Julies Hitch; Mr John Sweet, lifelong scout, knotting writer and authority on pioneering with ropes and spars, for his modification of the Waggoners Hitch with a strop; and Amory B Lovins who while working in Britain with Friends of the Earth Ltd pointed out to me the real origin of Hunters Bend for his Vibration-proof Hitch.

I gratefully acknowledge the generosity of Mr Spike Milligan for permission to reproduce his apt poem String at the beginning of Chapter 5. This poem originally appeared in Silly Verse for Kids by Spike Milligan, published by Penguin Books Ltd (1959).

My sincere thanks also go to Malcolm Elliot for his patience and editorial guidance; and to James Lester, illustrator, for his skill and tenacity in coping with my original drawings.