Knots for Wilderness Survival, Agriculture, Industry, and Climbing

Knots for Wilderness Survival, Agriculture, Industry, and Climbing Rope would be of little value if one did not know the best knot to use for the given situation. From time to time I am asked “What are the Knots I should know?” Well that depends on what your needs are. A farmer, rancher, recreational climber, industrial climber, sailor, or angler would all give you a different answers. Example, a figure 8 is a great knot for stopping a man’s fall and can be untied after a fall; but to pull a truck out of the mire with a tractor the figure 8 could be impossible to untie where as a double dragon loop would do just fine. In short you should learn knots that will hold fast, will come untied when no longer needed, and easy to tie. All of that depends on the given the condition the knot is to be used. Learning How to Tie Knots If you are new to working with rope, or if you have tried but believing that you do not have the talent for knot tying. Just try this, take one knot from a type, just one knot at a time. Watch the video, try to tie it with the video, if you are still befuddled get a mentor to walk you through it. Keep about 2 feet of cord in your pocket and practice many times a day for a short time. Work at it for no more than about 20 min. then do something else, then comeback to it. When you can tie it with your eyes closed you own the knot, it is as real as a tool in your tool box. Then learn a knot from another type, but never stop practicing the earlier learned knots. You should learn one knot from each type. Each knot has its own qualities, positive and negative. As you learn more knots you will learn their personalities and what knots work best for each given task. Knots You Will Find Most Useful We will add more videos so keep checking back. Please Note: If life or property depends on the rigging you set up do not rely on the instructions below but have a qualified mentor observe you tying a knot that is new to you. A slight change in how the knot is tied can be the difference between having the line hold dependably and having it spill unexpectedly. Use at your own risk.	New: Falconer's Knot When Wilderness Skills Institute was working with the falcons, at The Center for Reconnecting With Nature (CRWN) we learned a new knot! The Falconer's Knot is used to secure the raptors to their perches, the point of this knot is it is very easy to tie and untie one-handed. Coyote Tracks, Wilderness Skills Institute's E-Newsletter. For more articles like this as well as updates about our youth wilderness and nature programs join Coyote Tracks, our informative e-newsletter. It contains wild craft projects, wilderness safety, native plants, and animal tracking sections to better connect your family to the nature of the Pacific North Coast.
Types of Knots Stopper Knots Loops at the End of a Rope Loops in the bite Multiple Loops Hitches for Attaching a Rope to an Object Hitches for Gripping a Rope Hitches as a Machine for Mechanical Advantage Bends – Attach Two Ropes Together to Make a Longer Rope Binder to Seize a Bundle Together or Close a Sack Knots to Shorten a Rope
Stopper Knots – to stop the rope from sliding through the hands or a knot
Figure of Eight Stopper Knot Fast to tie and can be untied easily
Monkeys fist Great to add enough weight to heave a line or as decoration
Loops at the End of a Rope
Bowline An overrated loop that you will get asked to tie by the students. The Bowline can spill or jam when hit with a sudden load.
Double Bowline Will not spill or jam when holding a heavy load. I use this knot with very heavy loads and it is always easy to untie. Always use a stopper knot on the end of the rope when tying any of these knots.
Tugboat Loop The fastest good loop I can tie. The tugboat loop is the start of the double dragon loop a very good single loop.
Double Dragon (Throwing it) A knot to trust and fast to tie - it is a Tugboat with one more coil.
Double Dragon (Version 2 with the fingers) This is such a great knot, it has become a favorite of ours. This is how you tie it around an object.
Figure eight loop A simple loop that climbers commonly use.
Loops in the bite (middle of the rope)
Alpine Butterfly (or linemen’s) A loop that climbers commonly use that is easy to untie when heavily loaded.
Bell Ringer’s Loop Very easy to untie even under heavy load, however, will fall apart if not under constant load and must be made in a heavy stiff rope. Commonly used as part of a trucker’s hitch.
Multiple Loops
Karash Double Loop The Karash Double Loop is derived from a figure of 8 loop, is fast to tie and untie, loops are of fixed length, and it is easy to untie after having a heavy load.
Spanish Bowline The Spanish Bowline is a double loop that the loops equal out so that each loop holds 50% of the load.
Hitches for attaching a rope to an object
Falconer's Knot Quick and easy to learn, very fast untie.
Clove Hitch Very common, easy to tie hitch
Halter Hitch Used for securing livestock, easily untied if the animal falls.
Timber Hitch Used to pull timber with horse or tractor. Very easy to tie and untie but holds fast under load.
Hitches for gripping a rope
Taunt Line Hitch Taunt Line well-known hitch for erecting a small tent that can be adjusted to keep a line taunt.
Adjustable Grip Hitch Some say the Adjustable Grip Hitch much more secure then a Taunt Line some disagree. It is fast and easy to tie and very easy to untie, yet secure flapping in the wind.
Prusik Hitch Prusik hitch is commonly used as the ascender attached to the feet, also used to pull a rope up with a cord.
Blake's Hitch Blake's Hitch is commonly used by tree climbers to ascend or descend a rope.
Hitches as a Machine for Mechanical Advantage
Trucker Hitch Made From a Bell Ringer’s Loop and Taunt Line Can be used for securing a load on a truck or raising circus sized tent use only if under constant load and heavy rope
Bends – Attach Two Ropes Together to Make a Longer Rope
Sheet Bend The Sheet bend is fast to tie, good if under constant load – do not use this to moor a boat in the bay, you will lose your boat in time.
Double Sheet Bend This bend is easy to tie and a little bit more secure than the sheet bend.
Flemish Bend A very secure bend.
Butterfly Bend Butterfly Bend is a good secure bend that is quick and easy to tie and can be untied with ease after a load.
Carrick Bend Carrick Bend is a good secure bend that can be untied with ease.
Binder to Seize a Bundle Together or Close a Sack
Double Constrictor
Knots to Shorten a Rope
Sheep Shank The sheep shank must be under constant tension or it will come apart. Commonly used as a loop in a truckers hitch.