The Bodgery Wiki

Initial article begun 2014-12-06 by Bill Blondeau

A piece of working rope is called a line. When you are talking about knots, you talk in terms of line.

Why do we say “line” instead of “rope”?

• Because knots are tied in string, twine, yarn, thread, cords, cloth or leather strips, etc, and you sound stupid referring to some of those things as “rope”. “Line” is a usefully generic term that covers all of these things impartially.

• Because “rope” has its own set of meanings. “Rope” is used in contexts where you are talking about a particular kind of line: its construction (twisted, braided, plaited, etc) or the material of which it’s made (nylon, hemp, jute, dacron, polypropylene, etc.)

One interesting thing: you do not use “line” to refer to steel cables, because there’s no effective way of knotting metal ropes. Flexible metal lengths have a completely different set of fastening techniques, involving attaching shackles to fixed eyes. Nothing in this article should be taken to apply to metal ropes: working with those is a different discipline.

Whenever you're working with a line, you have two different contexts. Or parts. Or existential natures. Or if you're a math geek, two topological aspects. Or… OK whatever.

• The end, or working end, is probably almost exactly what you think it is.

• The standing part is the rest of the line, stretching off to somewhere that you either don't care about or can't get to.

It's important to know these terms because they show up in almost any discussion of knots.

Interestingly, this is one of the key categorizations of knots. What you're tying it to tends to drive the structural characteristics of the knot, and the methods used to tie it.

Knots can be tied to:

• The line itself, forming a loop or stopknot (aka stopper).

• The other end of the line; this is a binding knot. Binding knots are monstrously convenient because they are usually “snuggable” (you can tighten them up before finishing them), but they are dangerous because it’s tempting to misuse them. We get accustomed to tying binding knots all the time, and then we find ourselves using them without thinking about it.

• Another line: a knot that joins two lines so that they can handle a strain is called a bend. Only certain knots are referred to as “bends”; this is a practice based in the safety implications of using a different knot when a bend is required. If it doesn’t have “bend” in the name, don’t use it as a bend unless you’re damn sure it’s proper to do so. Safety: don’t join two ropes with anything other than a proper bend. Joining two lines with a square knot (which is a binding knot, not a bend at all) has probably killed or injured more people than any other knotwork mistake.

• A post or hook (a rigid structure in which you have the option of passing a bight of line over the end). This kind of knot is called a hitch.

• A spar or ring (a rigid structure in which you do not have access to the end). This is also called a hitch; it just requires different methods of making the hitch.

Everybody has opinions about this. Twelve different people who know something about knots would probably come up with twelve different lists. Some would say 4, some would say 7. Or 13. Or 5. And some people would fly into sputtering indignation because some knot they can't imagine living without didn't make the cut. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, WHERE IS THE TIMBER HITCH???

Here's the Bodgerous list of six. It's based on simple day-to-day practicality, including ease of use and safety.

• Bowline: a loop that won’t slip. Pronounced “BO-lun” in case you were wondering.

• Figure Eight: Basic safe stopknot, used in rigging work of any kind. Or to keep the thread from slipping back out of the needle's eye.

• Sheet Bend: the go-to bend for joining two line ends, especially if they are of different size.

• Square (or Reef) Knot: The basic binding knot.

• Round turn and two half hitches: the basic non-slippable hitch.

• Clove Hitch: a slippable hitch on a round spar

Here's specific info on these.

This knot forms a loop that tends not to slip. (Any knot can slip given a frictionless rope; bowlines are simple and strongly resist slipping when your line is a normal rope not lubricated with some external substance.) The bowline, for what it's worth, is the knot that's most likely to save your life.

• Easy to learn
• Easy to see if correct
• Quick to tie
• Can tie one-handed
• Can tie without looking (in the dark, behind your back, etc)
• Won’t slip
• The loop will not tighten under load
• Easy to release - won’t jam

• Can’t tie under load (you need a slack standing part in order to tie a bowline).
• Will shake loose (“shake loose” means line is slack and jostling around, which can work the knot until it comes undone.) Some knots are fairly shakeproof; the bowline is not one of them. In general, plan to use a bowline when the line will remain reliably under tension during the work you’re doing.
• Can capsize under heavy load. This can be a safety issue.

A non-slip loop has so many uses. As you learn and use the bowline, you’ll naturally come to rely on it more and more. Some particular things to think about:

• Hoisting a load. This is a particularly perfect fit:
  • You typically begin with a slack line.
  • The bowline’s loop can be passed through a shackle, around the body of the load, etc, before tying.
  • Once the load is up, the line remains under tension for as long as the lift is happening.
  • Once you’re done, the bowline can generally be released without difficulty.
• Hoisting a (conscious) human. Climbers and tall ship sailors both know this very well. If you tie a bowline around your body, the folks up above can hoist - and the line won’t tighten and crunch your chest or hips.
• Load tiedown. If you need a binding knot around something and you need to make it really tight, you can build a cheap and easy equivalent of a trucker’s hitch by putting a bowline in one end. Passing the other end through the bowline’s loop gives you a rough 2:1 mechanical advantage; once tight, the working end can be secured with two half hitches. Some obvious shortcomings here include very rapid rope wear; use with caution.
• A bowline’s loop can be used to make a catspaw (on a hook) or an attachment point for a lark’s head (which is a simple, secure kind of hitch).

The simple bowline is not the most secure variant of the bowline family of knots. You can find safer variants of the bowline. Some of them are easy, some are not; but this list has been put together for day-to-day use. If you're a commercial fisherman or a mountaineering guide, and you are checking this list for knotwork basics, may Cthulhu eat you first (that's the closest Cthulhu comes to “having mercy on your soul”: when the Great Ones return, getting it over with quick is the best you can hope for.)

One of the best characteristics of a bowline is that you can release it easily, even after it’s been under a lot of strain. This is often called “popping” the bowline, or “breaking its back”. Popping a bowline cannot be done while under load. However, once the line is slack, popping it is simple: just go to the top of the knot and push it up along the standing part. It will introduce slack into the entire knot, and you’re good. Even a bowline in a hefty rope can be popped by pressing with both thumbs.