Knot thread

[cory]

Good news for the cowboy bowline

 

[lxskllr]

I still don't like it. Looks weird :^P

 

[cory]

Its the way I've tied it from day one, had heard it was weaker but not so according to this vid.

 

[Dave Shepard]

Strength might not be the only factor. I know in crane rigging, they want the tail on the inside.

 

[flushcut]

I’d rather knot be part of this conversation.

 

[Tree09]

Did Ashley mention that the regular bowline was superior? I thought that was where it was from, could be wrong cause it's been years since i read him, but it would make sense because he was on the water all the time, and i think the regular one does better wet and for it's intended purposes on boats, especially in the tarred hemp of the day. The tail on the inside is probably the best when it's tarred hemp getting wet and then dry over and over again, swelling then shrinking, unloaded and shaken, dragging over other lines and obstructions both forwards and backwards, getting wet and being shock loaded, and bumping into the rigging and stuff all the time trying to loosen it and destroy the whipping causing the rope to fail. Lots of the nautical knots are designed to really go crazy with anchoring the tail because it's unloaded and likely thrashing around all the time, so having everything end in the middle helps it to be less likely to shake out. Decay of the ropes are a huge consideration back then, and so anything they could do to protect the ropes the better, and the end being hidden in the middle would protect the end the best, and so would be considered good seamanship.

 

[Knotorious]

I created and developed a new cinching knot that requires a good amount of force in order to cinch the loop down, making it more like a knot that is somewhere in between a slipped and fixed loop. Obviously, it must be classified as slipped, though. It is very easy to tie and very secure based on its structure. Just thought I'd add something new to this thread.

 

[lxskllr]

You might have something there. I'll have to play with it when I get a few minutes. I'm wondering how bad it jams after heavy loading.

 

[Kaveman]

Judicious application of a marlin spike fixes that...

By the way, a marlin spike is something more tree folk should keep handy. Not so much on harness, but at least in the truck. Also, if yours doesn't have a lanyard hole or the like, learn the icicle hitch.

 

[lxskllr]

Well, I was thinking an alternative to a cow hitch for rigging. If it can't be undone without tools, it wouldn't be good for that. It's fast to tie, and can be snugged up nice. Those are positives.

 

[flushcut]

It looks like that slip knot could undo itself in a hard pull. A long tail and a stopper knot required.

Myerchin makes one sexy marlin spike.

 

[lxskllr]

I have the USN folding knife with a spike. I bent the tip already trying to deknot treemaster :^D

 

[Kaveman]

I use a big tapered center punch, I'd put up a photo, but I'm hiding from the cold and damp at the moment.

 

[Knotorious]

It looks like that slip knot could undo itself in a hard pull. A long tail and a stopper knot required.

Myerchin makes one sexy marlin spike.

I would agree with this statement. I would definitely encourage the use of a stopper knot.

 

[cory]

I ground off the tip on two screwdrivers, one is pointy and the other more blunt, they work well.

 

[cory]

 

[SeanKroll]

Are you spiking knots to be able to pull the spike out after hard loading, creating slack in the knot, allowing it to be untied?

 

[cory]

If you are refining to post #15, no, just a homemade marlin spike to undo the occasional tough knot.

 

[Mick!]

I’m a tail on the outside man.

 

[Mick!]

I still don't like it. Looks weird :^P

Yeah….? well you’re weird man!

 

[lxskllr]

No doubt about that!

 

[SeanKroll]

I wonder how much a breakable stick tied in a knot affects strength.

 

[Knotorious]

I wonder how much a breakable stick tied in a knot affects strength.

That would depend heavily on the diameter of the stick/spike and which strand(s) it pierces through in any given knot. I do know that introducing a stick/spike into certain regions of certain knots can increase the bend radius of the rope or cordage being used, therefore increases the overall strength of the knot...if it were placed in an optimum location. If can also make certain knots easier to untie after they have been heavily loaded. Too much of an added bend radius by an overly sized stick or spike could create a disruption to the structure of a knot, which might actually compromise it. It also depends on which knots are being used with sticks or spikes which have been implemented within their structures. Some knots tolerate such introductions better than others. This is my understanding of the answer to your question. Most people do not use sticks or spikes in their knots and so it's safe to say that, unless the knot is going to be exposed to very high forces, it's probably unnecessary to use them this way.

 

[Burnham]

Just my thought, without anything to back it up re actual research...if you put a piece of stick, or anything actually, with a totally unknown breakage strength into a knot...well, you have absolutely no way to know or even guess what you will get.

 

[Knotorious]

Anyone ever use the Voodoo tensioning system? Click the link to learn more about it...

The "Voodoo Hitch" - a magic tensioning hitch — Alpinesavvy

Part tensioning hitch, part rope sorcery. Plus, it has a great name. You don't need to learn the “voodoo hitch”, but you should. Tie it 10 times, you still probably won't figure out how it works.

www.alpinesavvy.com