Knots

[mrpiddly]

how many knots do you know. I know 152 if you use the tripple switchback and the double switch back as difffernt knots.

 

Do you enjoy tying knots in your spare time because i know i do, its just like one big knot fest at my house.

[local1400]

No. I have shoelace-less footwear.

[GernBlansten]

I guess that's better than shoeless lacewear.

[insanescouter]

I am a knot geek too, but to be honest its been a while since I really tested my skills so not sure how many I know. I would take a wild guess and say 80+ ...

 

Scott Robertson

http://insanescouter.org

[kenk]

You know, I've never really gotten into learning lots of knots. In generally I've found that the Scouting knots I learned back 30+ years ago have suited my needs remarkably well.

 

Since them I've found a few additional knots have come in handy, such as the fisherman's knot for tying together two small nylon cords (lanyards and such), what I think is called the double-figure 7 knot for creating loops in thin nylon cord that seem to hold better than a bowline, and the trucker's knot for fastening my canoe on car racks.

 

When a Webelos den leader I certainly had to relearn how to whip a rope, but it came back fairly fast. Not too many natural ropes in my life - mostly nylon.

[resqman]

While my level of geekdom could certainly be challenged, I find that I am more fond of knots than most.

 

Started out by being assigned the Pioneering Merit Badge course my first year as a Camp Staffer. I quickly learned and taught 13 knots each week to the campers. Of course, I also taught lashing and splices. That summer started my enjoyment of knots and ropes.

 

Later I joined a technical rescue squad involved in High and Low Angle Rope Rescue. Each monthly training session started with tying knots. Always new members joining that had to be taught how to tie and and then apply knots in the various rescues. Later I took the state certification for Rope Rescue Technican which involved 60 hours of mountain rope rescue classes. After more than a decade on the rope rescue team, I developed a strong affinity for all things rope and knot related.

 

As a Cub Scout/Webelos Den leader, I have the opportunity to teach boys the scout knots. I built a rope making machine and had the boys make their own rope. While they all enjoyed the process of learning new skills, none seemed to really "get the bug". This past summer, I had the opporunity to teach a dozen first year scouts knots while at summer camp. Several were the cub scouts from my den. They are beginning to show an interest in ropes and knots.

 

My son goes for his skills check regarding Tenderfoot knots tomorrow evening. While he is not a rope/knot geek, he is at least showing some interest. Maybe because he has seen me use knots all his life.

[Eagledad]

I enjoy knots also. My only job during the chariot race at camporee was to inspect and approve everyones elses knots. But holy cow, 152 knots? That is amazing.

 

Barry

 

[Eamonn]

Ar they all knots?

Or are some of them bends or hitches?

I like to think I'm fairly good.

But I don't think without my copy of ABOK I'd have a hard time naming 152 different knots, bends or hitches!!

Thinking about it I suppose I might be able to get get close to 60.

Have to admit that HWMBO and your's truly spend more time watching the telly than holding knot-fests.

Ea.

[drmicrowave72]

Try the book Ashely book on Knots there are over 2000knots.

YIS

[BrentAllen]

Yeah, but can you tie a one-handed clove hitch? In 2 seconds? 75 year-old 4-bead SM's can really teach you a thing or two. :-)

[GernBlansten]

In thirty plus years of really depending on knots (offshore yacht racing and rock climbing) I've found the need for only a handful of knots. Bowline, sheetbend, figure eight and clove hitch. The rest are fun and pass the time on midnight watch, but you can really get most accomplished with the basics. Now who can do a one handed bowline in a driving rain on a heaving deck with someone screaming at you? At night. Still a favorite request from the scouts at campfires.

[BrentAllen]

I've never had the opportunity to tie it at night on a pitching deck in the rain, but yes, I can tie it one-handed. Why was that person screaming at you? :-)

 

In addition to those you listed, I find the timber hitch and Alpine Butterfly to come in very handy. The Overhand Bend (also called a Climbers knot or Tape Knot) is also useful.

[Eamonn]

"Try the book Ashely book on Knots there are over 2000 knots."

The ABOK is the Ashely book of knots.

Proud to say that Ashley was an Englishman!!

While it does have over 2,000 knots they are not all different knots.

Old Fred Jenkins who served as a ASM back in the 17th Fulham (Pioneers), the Troop I was SM of claimed to be able to tie all of them!! He took great pride in being one of the first in our area to be able to tie the Hunter's Bend.

Sadly Fred passed on about twenty years back, when he did his family (He never married.) gave me all his Scout Stuff. Even his King's Scout Badge and certificate.His copy of the ABOK was included. I still have it and treasure it to this day.

Memory is a strange thing!!

While most of the time we can amble along, not thinking about very much!! (At least I can!! -I think this is my way of dealing with stress) Sometimes out of no where something happens which triggers off old memories.

We have bales of hay stored on the porch of one of the out buildings, sometimes when the humidity and everything else is in place the smell reminds me of playing back in my Grandparents barn back in Ireland.

At times when I'm trying to teach a Scout a knot and he or she is having a hard time, I swear I can feel old Fred looking over my shoulder smiling.

He always was an old rascal.

Eamonn.

 

[AvidSM]

152! Wow, that's a lot of knots. I can't say how many I know, but I do enjoy learning and tying them. When I'm bored in camp, I'll get a peice of cord and fiddle around with a few.

 

I have a couple of books on knots and the one thing I have noticed is there can be serveral names for the same knot (the good knot books will list the different names). And, there are different ways to tie the same knot - one handed, for example.

 

I enjoy learning about trick/quick knots. Some of my boys came back from Philmont with a few. Not very useful, but very entertaining.

 

I have found that the more I know about knots, the better I am at teaching the basic ones to the new scouts.

[GernBlansten]

Why was that person screaming at you? :-)

Never been on a sailboat have you? The person in charge indicates the urgency of the task by the volume of his voice. Very effective.