[Knot: 2.5] When Is A Bend Not Enough?

Two Quick Questions Answered by Nick Kerpan


1. Why did you say, "Don't ask a sailor?"

It turns out that the Square Knot was never really intended to function as a bend, as shown in the example video in the last post. The purpose of the square knot (of reef knot) is to bind a rope around an object. To quote from "The Ashley Book Of Knots:"

"It is universally used for parcels, rolls and bundles. At sea it is always employed in reefing and furling sails and stopping clothes for drying. But under no circumstances should it ever be tied as a bend, for if tied with two ends of unequal size, or if one end is stiffer or smoother than the other, the knot is almost bound to spill. Except for its true purpose of binding it is a knot to be shunned."

The idea of the square knot being used as a bend is prevalent in scouting, and the listing for the reef knot in the original scout handbook is "The commonest knot for tying two ropes together. Frequently used in first-aid bandaging. Never slips or jams; easy to untie." Certainly a distressing and easily disproven assertion.

2. What if the difference in diameter of the two ropes is too big, and my sheet bend doesn't hold?

This certainly can be a real problem!

This knot certainly won't hold....so what do we do?

Technical Terms:

Round Turn: Wrapping the rope once around another object to increase friction

Bight: A loop formed between the ends of a rope

The solution: The Double Sheet Bend

By simply wrapping the thinner rope one more time through the bight formed by the thinner rope, you create a much stronger sheet bend.