Knots and how to tie them - it would seem that this is difficult? After all, we encounter them in everyday life at every step and tie them up without even thinking. From early childhood, we were taught to tie shoelaces, girls - ribbons and bows, then men learn to tie a tie. And then - in everyday life, fishing, on vacation, hunting, in sports or marine business - one way or another, but the nodes are present everywhere. We will figure out how to tie the knots on the rope correctly and which of them turn out to be the strongest.
What are nodes
Nodes have existed for a long time, even our distant ancestors used them to create the first tools, clothes, and food: hunting and fishing. In fact, a knot is a certain way of weaving ropes, fishing lines, 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 long and rather rich history of both application and development. Indeed, in every business, craft, direction where they were used, they came up with their own views, 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 vary in scope.
Which exist
Nodes can be sea, tourist, climbing, hunting or fishing - this is the difference in their scope. For example, only nautical knots, there are about seven hundred!
For each species, certain requirements apply. For example, tourist, in addition to being strong and simple: they must simply be remembered, easily tied up, not creep under load, and not tighten tightly if this is not necessary.
Of course, it is hardly possible, and not necessary, to know how to tie knots on all kinds of rope. It is not available to any person on the planet. It’s enough just to understand how to tie the knots on the rope tightly and so that they look presentable.
Of course, immediately a good, strong connection or the desired loop will not work. We need to learn how to tie a strong knot on a rope, practicing, and not just in theory. Although the theoretical basis is also necessary to know. For example, how to tie a knot at the end of a rope: fold the free edges into a loop, leaving a ponytail of the same length as the knot is needed, thread into it, tighten. The knot at the end of the rope is ready!
What determines the strength of the site
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 trite it may sound. And secondly, the rope itself must be strong enough for this, otherwise, no matter what knitting skills you possess, there will be little use for it.
Any rope, cord or rope and everything knots are knitted of has its own strength characteristic. Moreover, if the rope is used, for example, to tie a tent to a peg or even a boat to a fishing pier, hardly anyone thinks hard about the level of its strength. But in some areas of application of nodes, such inattention is unforgivable, for example, in mountaineering.
One fact should be taken into account: any knot in one way or another makes the rope less durable, for example:
- knot-eight weakens by a quarter;
- bowline - by one third;
- weaving - by 35%.
All other nodes make the rope less strong by about the same. Also, for the strength level of both the rope and the knot, the following should be considered:
- if it is wet, then its strength is reduced by 10%;
- if used in severe frosts (up to 30 degrees), then it becomes less durable by a third;
- half of the strength is lost by dirty, old ropes that have been exposed to the sun for a long time, with a damaged braid.
Application options
Knots are found even in everyday life at every step, and they can be both functional and just decorative. For example, recently bracelets or necklaces made of braids, laces and thin ropes tied with beautiful knots have become especially popular.
They are also used to tie two ropes of the same thickness. In tourism, other materials having different thicknesses may be used instead of ropes. With the help of the knot, you can tie a wide variety of loops: protracted, climbing, quickly untied (aka a bow), a bowline, or those that are very difficult to untie. Keep in mind that most knots lead to fraying of the rope, and also tend to untie themselves.
Knot
Probably the most famous of all nodes. You may not be able to tie him, but everyone probably heard about him. What is he like and how to tie a 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, silk, scaffold. All of them are tightening loops, with the help of which they tied the vessel to the pier. Their feature 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 loop is easy to untie.
Most often they use a bowline or a gazebo. There is nothing complicated in learning 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 is left in stock as long as the knot is needed;
- this end is threaded through the loop, as when tying a simple knot;
- wrapped around the free end of the rope, threaded into a small and tightened.
For tying two ropes
It happens that it is necessary to tie together two or even more ropes, and also add knots on already tied ropes. For these purposes, there are special loops. So, how to tie a knot on a knotted rope with a Flemish loop or oncoming eight, which is one of the oldest, strongest and strongest:
- at the end of an unbound rope make a figure of eight from its free edge;
- The rest of the knotted end is repeated in bends and threaded into them, while tightening the loop.
This knot practically does not weaken the strength of the rope, while it is easy to untie it if necessary.
Non-tear knot
Sometimes it is necessary to tie a loop that does not untie under any circumstances. As a rule, these are protracted nodes. One of those is considered weaving. So, how to tie a strong knot on a rope, which certainly does not untie at the most inopportune moment? First of all, you need to understand that it is a combination of two knots that are tied around the base with the running ends:
- lay the two ropes with their ends to each other;
- at one end, run a simple knot;
- pass the other end through the loop made on the first one, make a revolution around its base;
- tie the same simple knot with a second rope;
- shift both loops towards each other until they come together;
- tighten the knot properly.
This is a very strong knot, with all its apparent simplicity when pulling 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. And knots are knotted just for good luck, they are used in macramé technique, lace weaving and not only.
And it is here that knowledge of how to tie a beautiful knot on a rope is useful. But there are a lot of such nodules, so let's talk about a pair of the most easily executed and attractive ones.
Everyone remembers and knows how to weave a pigtail. So, if you bind one or several ropes in this way, you get a beautifully knotted braid from knots.
Another popular pattern is a woven crown or, using the terminology of the macrame technique, a cobra. Used to create textile bracelets, necklaces, baubles, key chains 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 on yourself;
- tie a knot-crown, making a loop from each rope and stretching into it the end that lies after it;
- tighten and continue knitting to the desired length.
Lace "wicker crown" is ready! Now you can close its ends with special caps with a clasp, which are purchased in a store with accessories for jewelry, and use as a bracelet or necklace.