Knots with a ropes own strands

NOWADAYS most knots of this character must be classed as 'fancy', although when the rigging and even the massive anchor cables of ships were all of hempen rope, many had a practical purpose. Some still have, and these are described below, together with a selection of the 'fancy' variety. It can only be a selection, for a complete description of all known examples of 'fancy knots' would occupy a whole volume, far more space than can be spared in a book the prime aim of which is to be utilitarian. However, if you become enthusiastic about 'fancy knots'—decorative work well done in clean, new rope is extremely attractive—the knots below will teach you the basic principles from which you can explore the subject further and even invent your own original examples.

Two simple knots, the Crown and the Wall, form the foundation of most of the more complicated work, as well as being useful in themselves.

A Crown Knot binds together the strands at a rope's end and is the first step towards a Back Splice (see next chapter). To form one: 1. Unlay the rope. 2. Bend strand I into a bight towards the centre of the rope. 3. Bend strand II into a similar bight with its end passing through the bight of strand I (Fig. 40). 4. Pass strand III through the bight of strand II and work all taut. This knot can also be made by passing each strand down through the bight of its neighbour to the left instead of to the right. Either way the strands, come out at the bottom of the knot.

Back Splice Rope

In a Wall Knot, however, the strands come out at the top of the knot. /. Unlay the rope. 2. Pass strand I outside strand II but inside strand III (Fig. 41a). 3. Pass II outside III and the end of I (Fig. 416). 4. Dip III outside the bight of II and bring it up through the bight of I (Fig. 41 c). 5. Work all taut, cut off the ends and whip (Fig. 4ld).

Crown Knot

A Wall Knot differs from a Crown in that each strand passes outside its neighbour first before going upwards through his bight. Like the Crown, it can also be made to the left.

Both knots can be doubled in size by 'following round'. This means tucking each strand through the knot again following alongside, but not on top of, its original lead and a pricker or marline-spike may be found handy here for loosening the tucks without untying the knot.

A Manrope Knot is a smart, effective stopper at the end of, say, a gangway rope threaded through a row of stanchions. To make it: 1. Form a Wall Knot. 2. Form a Crown Knot on top of the Wall (Fig. 42a). 3. Follow round the Wall. 4. Follow round the Crown (Fig. 426). 5. Cut the ends close off.

Strand Diamond Knot

A Shroud Knot, which, as previously mentioned joins two ropes, is so called because it was used to repair shrouds that had been shot away in action. It makes a join as secure and neat as a splice but requires less rope for its manufacture and is more quickly made. 1. Unlay both ropes and crutch the strands, i.e. so that each strand passes between two strands of the other rope but in the opposite direction to them. 2. With the strands of rope 'A' form a Wall Knot round rope 'B' to the left on a right-handed rope and vice versa on a left-handed. 3. Similarly form a Wall with the strands of 'B' on 'A'. 4. Tighten until the knots jam against each other (Fig. 43d). 5. To make a neat finish, marl and serve as in figure 436.

To make a Stopper Knot. 1. Form a Wall Knot but do not work taut. 2. Pass each end from left to right up through the loop next to it and under the end already there. 3. Work taut. 4. Lay up the strands hard, whip and cut off to the whipping (Fig. 44).

The Matthew Walker Knots are also variations on the Wall. To make a Single Matthew Walker: 7. Start like a Wall but pass strand I under both II and III. 2. Pass II

Fig. 44

Fig. 45

under III and I and come up through the bight of I. 3. Pass III round the end of I, through its bight and through the bight of II (Fig. 45). This knot differs from the Wall in that each strand passes through the bights of both the others.

In a Double Matthew Walker, which completed looks like figure 46a and is a knot that will not slip or capsize, each strand passes through three bights, i.e. including its own, as shown in figure 46b.

Crown And Diamond Knot
Fig. 46 Fig. 47

A Diamond Knot is often made in the middle of a rope. To form one: 1. Unlay the rope to the point where you wish to make the knot, taking care to preserve the lay as much as possible as you will have to re-lay the rope later. 2. Lay each strand alongside the standing part so that you leave three bights standing above the point where they fork. 3. Take strand I outside strand II and up through the bight of strand III. 4. Take II outside III and up through the bight of I. 5. Take III outside the bight of I and up through the bight of II to make figure 47. 6. Re-lay the rope. If each strand is followed round once, this forms a Double Diamond Knot.

The descriptions of knots so far have all assumed that you are using three-stranded rope, but the Wall, Crown, Matthew Walkers and Diamond can all be made equally well with four- or six-stranded rope if you apply the basic principle of each particular knot, e.g. that in a Wall Knot each strand passes upwards through the bight of its neighbour; that in a Diamond Knot the strands must first be laid back along the standing part, etc.

A Chequer Knot cannot be made on three-stranded rope as it requires an even number of strands. This, however, makes it very suitable for braided ropes and it is often used on the end of bell lanyards, etc. To form one: 1. Unlay the strands to a reasonable length (you will need more stuff for this knot than for those described above) and in their centre at the fork place a core of some material (a ball of spun-yarn will do). 2. Make a Crown Knot left-handed over the core with the even numbered strands. 3. Make a Crown Knot right-handed with the odd-numbered strands in such a way that they interlace with the even strands (Fig. 48a). 4. With all strands make a Wall Knot right-handed (Fig. 48b). 5. Follow round the Crown Knots and the Wall. 6. Make a Wall Knot round the bottom of the knot (Fig. 48c). 7. Make a Crown Knot similarly (Fig. 48d). 8. Follow round these last two knots. This forms a Turk's Head. 9. Finish by tucking each strand away under a strand of the rope just above the whipping, and cut off.

The Turk's Head just mentioned is, without doubt, the favourite design in decorative ropework. To fashion one on the end of a rope make a Manrope Knot and follow the ends round a second time or more often.

A Turk's Head also forms a decorative knot on the noose of a knife or whistle lanyard. Unlay the end of the lanyard and with the strands form a Wall Knot round the standing part of the lanyard itself. Then form a Crown Knot also

a b c d

Fig. 48

a b c d

Fig. 48

round the lanyard and follow round at least twice. This knot will slide up and down the standing part.

To make a standing Turk's Head on a lanyard that will not slide, and therefore forms a loop, not a noose, make the Wall and Crown and follow round as above, but before doing so tuck one strand through the standing part.

A Footrope Knot is similar in appearance to a Turk's Head. In the days of sailing ships, it was worked on to the footrope on which the men stood whilst handling canvas aloft, and whilst today that need has almost disappeared, it still makes a decorative handgrip that will not slip because it, too, is worked through the rope. To fashion the knot: 1. Pass two pieces of line through the rope at the same point but tucking each under a different strand. 2. With the four ends work a Diamond Knot (Fig. 49). 3. Follow round once or twice and cut off. (More than two pieces of line can be used if desired.)

Fig. 49

A Long Footrope Knot (Fig. 50). 1. Start as for a Footrope Knot but with longer lines. 2. Make a Footrope Knot but do not cut off the ends. 3. Turn the rope end to end and make another Footrope Knot. 4. Follow round twice and cut off.

Fig. 50

Fig. 50

CHAPTER FIVE

Continue reading here: Splicing hempen ropes

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