commonly used knots

[Matt J Leppek]

Just landed a job with a local tree service and id like to learn what some of your guys favorite knots are to use. I'm learning myself the running bowline right now, I think its the most common? Anyway if I just get some names I can google how to vids, but if you have a trick to remembering them id love to hear it. Thanks in advance

 

[yettiattack]

Running bowline bowline with yosemite figure 8 girth hitch half hitch some of the basics or go buy a knot card theyre like 5bucks

 

[trees2]

Simple knot , Timber hitch for lots of times and for sure the most easy to untie. clove hitch , sheet bend. How bout a dragging bowline?

 

[rtsims]

Attachment Knots: Bowline, Running Bowline, Figure 8, Buntline, Anchor Hitch, Double Fishermans Loop, Clove Hitch, Cow Hitch, Girth Hitch, Basket Hitch, Timber Hitch, Sheet Bend, Quick Hitch

Mid line Knots: Butterfly Knot, Bowline on a bight

End to end Knots: Double Fishermans, Sliding Double Fishermans, Water Knot

Hope that helps you get started. Honestly i cant remember how to tie all these but thats because i found the ones that work for me best in particular situations and have stuck with them.

 

[ft. churchill]

Watch the movie Jaws, the old sailor Quint teaches the cop how to tie a bowline the " king of all knots". You'll need to learn the bowline and it's variants, as well as the clove hitch, timber hitch, and sheet bend. The carrick bend is useful and the trucker's knot. Also very important is knowing which knots is the right knot to use for the job at hand. The water knot works in nylon webbing as well as rope, but once it is loaded, it is almost impossible to untie. Stay safe.

 

[Matt J Leppek]

this is knot gonna be fun...i canknot believe theres this many knots to learn...sorry had to get that out of my system.

thanks for all the input guys, i have the sheet bend mastered along with constrictor and bowline. having trouble with the running bowline but should have it by tonight, i hope. talked to my boss and he said all i need to know for now is the running bowline and he will be happy. he must of had some pretty lazy workers before me. lots of knots to learn but they seem to be one of the most important things to learn in tree care. He only told me about 3 or 4 knots he said he uses, sounds like you guys use a lot more haha

 

[Oldmaple]

Back when I did training we taught 15 knots. Would tell the guys that you will forget all but about 6 of them but learn them all because different guys like using different knots and that way you"ll know the ones your new boss will use. My list is pretty basic, single bowline, running bowline, double bowline, clove hitch, weavers knot and timber hitch. Add in the tautline and blakes hitch since I still climb the "old fashioned way".

 

[Tree Pig]

Learn every knot you can and just prey your boss does not ask to see your balloon knot.

 

[KenJax Tree]

Order Jeff Jepson's book The Tree Climber's Companion its about $15 and has lots of good info

 

[KenJax Tree]

this is knot gonna be fun...i canknot believe theres this many knots to learn...sorry had to get that out of my system.

thanks for all the input guys, i have the sheet bend mastered along with constrictor and bowline. having trouble with the running bowline but should have it by tonight, i hope. talked to my boss and he said all i need to know for now is the running bowline and he will be happy. he must of had some pretty lazy workers before me. lots of knots to learn but they seem to be one of the most important things to learn in tree care. He only told me about 3 or 4 knots he said he uses, sounds like you guys use a lot more haha

Try this site Matt it shows you how to tie most of the knots.
http://www.animatedknots.com/indexclimbing.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

A running bowline is just a bowline wrapped around the running end of the rope

 

[Matt J Leppek]

Back when I did training we taught 15 knots. Would tell the guys that you will forget all but about 6 of them but learn them all because different guys like using different knots and that way you"ll know the ones your new boss will use. My list is pretty basic, single bowline, running bowline, double bowline, clove hitch, weavers knot and timber hitch. Add in the tautline and blakes hitch since I still climb the "old fashioned way".

yeah over 10 just seems like to many to memorize when a lot of knots do the same thing

Learn every knot you can and just prey your boss does not ask to see your balloon knot.

that would be flattering....

Try this site Matt it shows you how to tie most of the knots.
Climbing Knots | How to Tie Climbing Knots | Animated Climbing Knots

A running bowline is just a bowline wrapped around the running end of the rope

Ive got an app on a tablet thats called 3d knots or something like that, works nice. has over 80knots or so

 

[formationrx]

...

if you are going to learn the sheet bend better learn the double too... tautline, blakes, prusik, anchor, slip, cinch, 8 on bight, ring bend, timber, cow, truckers, double fishermans, and of course the running bowline are some others...

 

[smokey01]

Just landed a job with a local tree service and id like to learn .................Thanks in advance

Order Jeff Jepson's book The Tree Climber's Companion its about $15 and has lots of good info

It has been a few weeks since you posed this request and I hope you have learned a lot so far.

Just wanted to second the Jeff Jepson suggestion. In fact learn everything in that book and you will have a great start.
Another suggestion, either request one or download a copy of the Sherrill Tree Catalog, there are a ton of great helpful diagrams and information mixed in with the products or "tools of the trade" that you will probably be using.

Two schools of thought on learning knots.
Some would say learn the ones you use and stick with them and don't bother remembering the others. That has merit and you will be very proficient but it can also lead to complacency because you will soon be tying all these knots without thinking about it. Muscle memory is great until the brain is no longer working along side. Ever put the milk in the cupboard, or the cereal in the fridge?
The other thought is to learn many and once in a while change what you use. Of course with respect to the given application. It keeps you thinking and that is a good thing if your life is at risk.
Example with the fiction hitches. If you only know one or two, what happens if something changes that day, maybe a different rope combination, the friction hitch you used yesterday may not work as well as another today and if you only know one, you will be limited.
Depending on your level now, I will give you a few of my brain aides in remembering the friction hitches. I realize these will not make much sense if you don't know them yet but it helped me.
Blake's Hitch, probably the first you should learn.
The Valdôtain tresse is very unique and easy to visually remember, looks complicated but is not.
The Distel is just like a Schwabish but a little backwards.
The Michoacàn is just like a Blake's Hitch but only one tuck.
The Knut is like the Distel but rather than wrapping down counter clockwise you wrap up counter clockwise and then tuck the tail in the bottom loop.

This may or may not mean anything to you now, but the point is, don't limit yourself. Once you start to learn a few, by association, you will learn and remember more. I would say with just the information you can get from a 15.00 book and a catalog, your boss will be very pleased and keep you around. I'm sure he would be pleased that all he has to do is teach you how to apply the knowledge you have rather than starting from nothing.

I'm no expert, very much a newbie and lack in the application part of this, but just though this might be helpful.

Good luck with the new job, that is always exciting.

 

[Matt J Leppek]

It has been a few weeks since you posed this request and I hope you have learned a lot so far.

Just wanted to second the Jeff Jepson suggestion. In fact learn everything in that book and you will have a great start.
Another suggestion, either request one or download a copy of the Sherrill Tree Catalog, there are a ton of great helpful diagrams and information mixed in with the products or "tools of the trade" that you will probably be using.

Two schools of thought on learning knots.
Some would say learn the ones you use and stick with them and don't bother remembering the others. That has merit and you will be very proficient but it can also lead to complacency because you will soon be tying all these knots without thinking about it. Muscle memory is great until the brain is no longer working along side. Ever put the milk in the cupboard, or the cereal in the fridge?
The other thought is to learn many and once in a while change what you use. Of course with respect to the given application. It keeps you thinking and that is a good thing if your life is at risk.
Example with the fiction hitches. If you only know one or two, what happens if something changes that day, maybe a different rope combination, the friction hitch you used yesterday may not work as well as another today and if you only know one, you will be limited.
Depending on your level now, I will give you a few of my brain aides in remembering the friction hitches. I realize these will not make much sense if you don't know them yet but it helped me.
Blake's Hitch, probably the first you should learn.
The Valdôtain tresse is very unique and easy to visually remember, looks complicated but is not.
The Distel is just like a Schwabish but a little backwards.
The Michoacàn is just like a Blake's Hitch but only one tuck.
The Knut is like the Distel but rather than wrapping down counter clockwise you wrap up counter clockwise and then tuck the tail in the bottom loop.

This may or may not mean anything to you now, but the point is, don't limit yourself. Once you start to learn a few, by association, you will learn and remember more. I would say with just the information you can get from a 15.00 book and a catalog, your boss will be very pleased and keep you around. I'm sure he would be pleased that all he has to do is teach you how to apply the knowledge you have rather than starting from nothing.

I'm no expert, very much a newbie and lack in the application part of this, but just though this might be helpful.

Good luck with the new job, that is always exciting.

thanks, ill order that book tonight. worked my first weekend today, boss was pleased and gave me a bonus. ill describe more in the post with pics of my first days, but basically i brushed for the most part yesterday, and did some roping. was able to tie the running bowline with ease, and was the only one i needed. i was on the ground controlling where the pieces went. it was pretty neat how you can do so much with one rope.