Madison5716 Posted July 21, 2021 Share Posted July 21, 2021 Maybe knot tying is elementary to some experienced outdoorsmen here, but I'm still learning. So, Dan from Coalcracker Bushcraft, shows three great knots. One can never have too much knowledge of things that might help you in the woods. Enjoy! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiiawiwb Posted July 21, 2021 Share Posted July 21, 2021 (edited) Thanks for sharing. He does an excellent job of explaining. I use the bowline and trucker's hitch a lot in both the woods and for tying things to my vehicle. Two good knots for tensioning, such as tying a tent to a stake or putting a tarp on a ridgeline, are the taut-line hitch and the prusik knot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG-xZFUVR-M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RuYFeroIzU In your video above, he used the bowline to tie one end to the tree. That's typically what I do although another option to do the same thing is a Siberian hitch. It's easy, takes only a second to do, and is quick release. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4k6WdxCKXk Edited July 21, 2021 by wiiawiwb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWind Posted July 21, 2021 Share Posted July 21, 2021 Waaay back in my rock climbing / mountaineering / ice climbing days, I used the one-handed bowline a LOT. I learned it so well, that I find a regular one hard to tie...it just doesn't stick in this old brain. I have to think about my one handed method when I do it. LOL I used to tie that one handed bowline in under 2 seconds. But yeah, that, and the trucker's hitch and maybe some basic square lashes and / or timber hitches are my mainstays in the woods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRockBigfoot Posted July 21, 2021 Share Posted July 21, 2021 16 hours ago, Madison5716 said: Maybe knot tying is elementary to some experienced outdoorsmen here, but I'm still learning. So, Dan from Coalcracker Bushcraft, shows three great knots. One can never have too much knowledge of things that might help you in the woods. Enjoy! Thanks for posting this. I am out of upvotes, but I got you after midnight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catmandoo Posted July 23, 2021 Share Posted July 23, 2021 Bowline, truckers hitch and carrick bend. Keep in mind that the strength of ropes changes with different types of knots. The carrick bend can join two ropes of very different diameters, is a strong knot and can be undone very easily. I have had the "Ashley Book of Knots" for many years. It is a great read, loaded with drawings. The book is considered to be the 'knotters bible'. I have read that it is available as a free pdf download. I have not looked at the pdf to compare it to the hard bound edition. The Ashley Book of Knots is 620 pages, about 3900 hitches / knots. Worth a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWind Posted July 23, 2021 Share Posted July 23, 2021 5 hours ago, Catmandoo said: Bowline, truckers hitch and carrick bend. Keep in mind that the strength of ropes changes with different types of knots. The carrick bend can join two ropes of very different diameters, is a strong knot and can be undone very easily. I have had the "Ashley Book of Knots" for many years. It is a great read, loaded with drawings. The book is considered to be the 'knotters bible'. I have read that it is available as a free pdf download. I have not looked at the pdf to compare it to the hard bound edition. The Ashley Book of Knots is 620 pages, about 3900 hitches / knots. Worth a look. I thought I had a copy of that book lying around, but have not been able to find it since I moved. I just remembered one more place that it might be, and I looked. But I'm a frayed knot. Glad to loan it to you if I find it, @Madison5716. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiflier Posted July 23, 2021 Share Posted July 23, 2021 (edited) Always been partial to the butterfly/alpine m'self. It's great for creating one or more fixed, non-sliding loops in the middle of the run which come in handy for many reasons including hitches. I incorporated it when I rigged up my rope ladder using 6" aluminum 1/2" diameter ferrules for rungs. One of these days I'll dig it outa my truck and take some pics. Edited July 23, 2021 by hiflier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madison5716 Posted July 24, 2021 Author Share Posted July 24, 2021 17 hours ago, NorthWind said: Glad to loan it to you if I find it, Thanks, but I have to do it to remember it. I can't read it and understand it like that. I need hands on learning. I can watch videos LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catmandoo Posted July 24, 2021 Share Posted July 24, 2021 I down loaded the pdf. It is a good scan of the book. Clifford Ashley researched bends / knots /hitches for over 40 years. The book took at least 11 years to write / illustrate. Copyright date is 1944. Made as a hands on book with text and hand drawn images with arrows ( not red arrows ). 7,000 drawings. Hiflier, page 592 has knot work for ladders. Please identify what you use relative to Ashley's examples. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiiawiwb Posted July 24, 2021 Share Posted July 24, 2021 Lately, when putting up a trail cam, I've been using camo paracord rather than a strap. Huge improvement. When affixing the trail cam, I feed the line through a loop created by a Angler's Knot (similar to Bowline), then pull to tighten. You have to pinch the line until it can be tied off. I learned a little trick from this video regarding the Trucker's Hitch that can be used when tightening the paracord line. When you feed the line through the Angler's Loop (or Bowline) feed it through a 2nd time then pull on it. When you let it go, it holds because you've created a bite. Then you can tie it off. When done, it is self-releasing as well. You can see an example of it here on this video. It's an excellent video from start to finish but I've cued it up at the point where he demonstrates the bite: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiflier Posted July 24, 2021 Share Posted July 24, 2021 6 hours ago, Catmandoo said: Hiflier, page 592 has knot work for ladders. Please identify what you use relative to Ashley's examples. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiflier Posted July 24, 2021 Share Posted July 24, 2021 (edited) I slide the number of ferrules I wish to use onto the paracord and then make sure each is positioned on the second hand turn. That way I can grab the ferrule and give that loop enough slack so that after the final pass under the remaining two hand loops the ferrule will be in the loop as a rung. I play around with the cadence after the first stretching of the rope under weight which is where the knot shows its true value. Because once stretched the knot work makes it easy to loosen the knot and readjust the cadence to make climbing easier with closer rungs. Of course at my age it still takes a bit of effort but packing in the system is easy. Leave a long lead to throw over a good branch and tie out to an adjacent tree (not the same tree). I also made a waist strap with carabiners on each end to secure myself either to an upper rung on the ladder or the tree branch to have hands free for mounting a trail cam. It's also easier to toss the lead over a higher branch than the one the camera is being attached to in order to have hand grabs if one would rather sit on the camera branch itself or stand in a crotch in the tree to do the work. A small bag with the camera can either be carried up or, with a line tied to one's belt, hauled up afterwards so climbing doesn't have to be done wearing any gear or a backpack. Are rigid ladders easier? Sure if one doesn't mind the weight or bulk of hauling one into the woods. Once in position then a bag with I don't which is why I designed this system. I've never heard of anyone using something like this as a way to access a high hammock but I guess it could be done. The 6" (or 7") ferrules serve two purposes. They maintain triangular foot holds that don't collapse with any size shoe or boot pinching the sides of ones foot. Handholds are much better and easier on one's grip, too. I found the easiest technique is to not do hand over hand like one would do on a ladder. Better to either have one's palms facing toward each other or facing back toward the body like one arm chin ups, reaching as high above one's had as possible with each step. which helps keep the center of gravity closer to the rope line. Edited July 24, 2021 by hiflier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catmandoo Posted July 25, 2021 Share Posted July 25, 2021 On 7/23/2021 at 8:27 AM, hiflier said: I incorporated it when I rigged up my rope ladder using 6" aluminum 1/2" diameter ferrules for rungs. One of these days I'll dig it outa my truck and take some pics. Are we going to see images of the hiflier rope ladder creation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiflier Posted July 25, 2021 Share Posted July 25, 2021 (edited) Yes, in a few days or sooner. Doing an excursion to NH and VT so will scope out a good tree or two. That knot in the .pdf, sometimes called the Lineman's Loop, looks to be No. 331 on page 54 and 1053 on page 191. It's not on 592 as the ladder knots on that page are tight and so neither have nor want loops. What I like about the knot is that it's secure in both directions and is easy to undo, not to mention the fact that, as in the video, it's a piece of cake to tie. And one can also create a ladder in any length. Edited July 25, 2021 by hiflier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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