What's your favorite knot and what do you use it for?

[DeanBrown3D]

I just want to filter down the large number of 'very useful absolute must-have' knots in Beranek's and Jepsom's books to a few of people's favorites. My personal favorite has got to be the Blakes, but I don't have much experience in a whole load the different knots.

For example, there are many ways to tie-off a rop to your screw link for life support. Which one(s) do you use and do you back them up with any other knots.

Cheers!

Dean

 

[l2edneck]

taughtline.and runnin bowline only 2 i use for climbing and lowering. To avoid slip with the runnin bowline i just take a wrap around limb then tie the knot.(i use 1 more for pullin over trees with the truck but i kinda made it up after watchin idiots having to cut the rope)

 

[Ekka]

Bowline is a must.

Normal static bowline

There's bowline on a bite

Running bowline

Double bowline

Bowline with yosemite tie off.

:biggrinbounce2:

 

[Climb020]

I use manly 5 knots everyday. Some with a variation. Bowline, running bowline, butterfly, cow hitch, and anchor hitch. The next on my list would be a timber hitch but I rarely use it. As well I will throw in a marlin with my running bowline and cow hitch on bigger pieces. the reason I like the knots is cause they are quite simple and don't bind up.

 

[beowulf343]

Friction hitch-blakes. Used taughtline for a lot of years but I am a big guy and it would sometimes tighten up really bad. Less of a problem with the blakes.
General purpose-bowline. So many different ways to use it. Have used a bowline on a bight to pull out a truck and have still been able to untie it. I use a running bowline dozens of times every day for lowering and it has never failed me (usually backed up with a marl.)

Have you ever seen the walking bowline?

 

[clearance]

Was going to say bowlines, taken already. How about noose, would like to use that on some whining treehugger types, after a trial of course.

 

[l2edneck]

Friction hitch-blakes. Used taughtline for a lot of years but I am a big guy and it would sometimes tighten up really bad.

i changed my taught to 2 over seem to ease binding (maybe a diff knot but i always use 2 under 1 over and thru and 1 more over and thru)im thinking its a blakes?but the blakes is used diff what i can comprehend from pics(never seen 1 up close and wont stray untill then)JMO but im a dumba** who has to see it to learn it<<<<not good with books n pics

PLEASE by all means correct me if im wrong!!!!!

 

[beowulf343]

Yeah, always tied my taughtline 2 under, 2 over. Was taught that way because I am so big (6'7" 275 lbs). Even tied this way it would still bind up now and then. I do know alot of smaller guys that use a taughtline 2 under 1 over and don't seem to have a problem with it. (In my case, it was probably just too big a jerk on the line.)

 

[Stumper]

The Bowline is the king of knots for a reason.-Use it all the time-mostly as a choked running bowline for securing tag lines and lowering lines to the tree or piece beig cut.

Favorite friction hitch is a V.T.

Girth hitch/cow hitch is a must have at times. Sling a limb Hang a block. send up a pole saw.....

Timberhitch is great for slinging a porty or a limb.

How does anyone live without a clove hitch somewhere?

Round turn and 2 half hitches holds the world together whenever there is a a shortage of baling wire and duct tape.

A truckers hitch is needed for tiedowns.

The Buntline hitch is my lifeline to 'biner termination-My life rides on it on every climb.

I long used the Carrick bend for joining ropes but Hunters bend or the Zeppelin bend are actually probably better.

The Double Fisherman's knot is a strong bend for joining line ends but it is a pain to untie after loading....but I like it's relative the Scaffold knot for tying my tress cords to their 'biner.

Send up a line with a Sheet bend.

 

[Fireaxman]

You have heard from the Pro, but I'll follow with an "Amen". Bowline - common, with Yosimite tie off, running, or in a bite depending on what you are doing with it. Agree also on Clove, got to have it, and a good "Choker" knot like Buntline or Scaffold. For a friction hitch I was a Blakes fan for a long time until several on this web site helped me get into the "Advanced" hitches, but you have to play with them until you find the one that works best for your rope, weight, and climbing style. Most "Authorities" agree the Blakes has significant advantage over the Taughtline, see Jepson's for the reason.

Get the Blakes, Bowline in its different configurations, Clove, Scaffold (some call it a Fisherman's, but Stumper can tell you the difference) and cow hitch under control and you can climb and rig safely with those knots. Other knots have special applications where they work better than these, but these are my "Regulars".

 

[046]

blake's for main friction hitch
figure eight to terminate life line
butterfly when tying in middle of line
double fisherman for backup knot
triple fisherman for termination of lanyard
bowline for general purpose, not lifeline
distal for DEDA lanyard
timber hitch for general purpose
clove hitch for general purpose

 

[l2edneck]

Round turn and 2 half hitches holds the world together whenever there is a a shortage of baling wire and duct tape.]

he said duct tape we all know its duck tape:jawdrop:

 

[dakota]

What about the spaghetti knot, the get me a knife knot, the what the F... knot, and the F'n new guy knot?

 

[rbtree]

Man, I can still remember when i broke in to this industry 31 years ago and was taught a tautline hitch.....but back then, guys called it a monkey knot, I think.

That was a play on words to hint to you guys how to spell the word.....

Haven't used that dinosaur knot for a good 10-12 years, except now and then when I have to set up a second lifeline or use my tail for a second tie for double crotching...and don't have a second tresse cord for my Vt (French prussic). It is much much better than a TL or Blakes.

Here's a good knot for joining two lines, better than a bowline or sheetbend, but unties easily as well:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunter's_bend

 

[Mike Barcaskey]

he said duct tape we all know its duck tape:jawdrop:

I believe it is duct tape. duck tape is a brand of duct tape.

 

[DeanBrown3D]

What about the spaghetti knot, the get me a knife knot, the what the F... knot, and the F'n new guy knot?

F*** me that made me laugh! Good one!

 

[Canyon Angler]

Doesn't anyone use Prusik Knot? I'm not an arborist or climber (and I'm new to the site) but I use a static rope with prusik knot to climb up my 12-pitch roof to clean the chimney once a year...well, actually I use one runner with a prusik knot and another runner with a Petzl Tibloc like this:

http://en.petzl.com/petzl/SportProduits?Produit=113

It sure makes me feel better about those gusts of wind that roll off the bay!

 

[Stumper]

Canyon Angler-Lots of Brits climb on a Prusik. I use themfor rigging but a symetrical 4 coil or 6 coil prusik isn't really a very good climbing hitch-It binds too much after loading. The Prusik is safe and proven but other knots are smoother in operation and less effort to use.

 

[prosopis]

To paraphrase Leopold Kronecker:

God created the bowline. All the rest is the work of man.

 

[bowline]

bet YOU CANT GUESS MY FAVOURITE :hmm3grin2orange: