Ever wonder where the pro's get the names of some of their creations? Like, what is a sanctified endless falls? What is a chain mail? Who is Solomon (LOL)? Well, this page will help you figure that out.
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Weaves
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Knots
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Other
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Some Common Weaves
Solomon (AKA Cobra)
This is the most common basic weave. For most this was the very first weave they learned. Chain Mail
The links resemble the medieval chain mail look. Switchback (AKA Fishtail)
Each cord in this weave follows just below the opposite side. |
Endless Falls
This refers to the center strands that continue side by side. The variation of the weave can change as shown above. Sanctified
This refers to the weave on the outside edges. Many other weaves can be added in the middle as seen in the pictures below (see Combination Weaves). |
Combination Weaves
Just as you saw above in the Sanctified weave you can combine these weaves to make magnificent creations. The more practice you get with the larger weaves the better you will get at designing and creating your own combination. Here are some examples of combination weaves:
Sanctified Chain Mail
Modified Sanctified Endless Falls |
Sanctified Chain Mail Endless Falls (Explain?)Sanctified Endless Falls |
Knots
Knots are usually used for two purposes. First, they give your work a tight hold so that it doesn't inadvertently come apart. Second, they provide a nice transition between weaves. Knots can also be used as a great way to create a decorative cover for many everyday objects such as lighters, thermos', mugs, and much much more. Another great thing about knots is that you can add multiple layers to them. For example, you can see that the Turks Head knot seen below has three lays of cord where as the Gaucho and Herringbone just have one. All knots have the ability to take additional layers. Here are examples of the most common knots:
What is a bite and lead?
Knot Another Grid!
As you become experienced with knots and wraps you will begin to try some of the advanced knots. These advanced designs can sometimes take a little help to create. To assist you with this there are fantastic tools all over the internet that can help. Here is one to help you get started (Click image below):
The following are a list of commonly used terms. This list is supplied by and can be found at List of knot terminology.
Bend
A bend is a knot used to join two lengths of rope.
Bight
A bight has two meanings in knotting. It can mean either any central part of a rope (between the standing end and the working end) or an arc in a rope that is at least as wide as a semicircle. In either case, a bight is a length of rope that does not cross itself. Knots that can be tied without use of the working end are called knots on the bight.
Binding knot
Binding knots are knots that either constrict a single object or hold two objects snugly together. Whippings, seizings and lashings serve a similar purpose to binding knots, but contain too many wraps to be properly called a knot. In binding knots, the ends of rope are either joined together or tucked under the turns of the knot.
Bitter endAnother term for the working end.
Capsizing
The reef knot can capsize if one of its standing ends is pulled.A knot that has capsized has deformed into a different structure. Although capsizing is sometimes the result of incorrect tying or misuse, it can also be done purposefully in certain cases to strengthen the knot (see the carrick bend).
Chirality
Chirality is the 'handedness' of a knot. Topologically speaking, a knot and its mirror image may or may not have knot equivalence.
Decorative knot
Although primarily tied for decorative purposes, the Turk's head knot can serve as a hand grip when tied around a cylindrical object.Main article: List of decorative knotsA decorative knot is any aesthetically pleasing knot. Although it is not necessarily the case, most decorative knots also have practical applications or were derived from other well-known knots. Decorative knotting is one of the oldest and most widely distributed folk art.
Dressing
Knot dressing is the process of arranging a knot in such a way as to improve its performance. Crossing or uncrossing the rope in a specific way, depending on the knot, can increase the knot's strength as well as reduce its jamming potential.
Elbow
An elbow refers to any two nearby crossings of a rope. An elbow is created when an additional twist is made in a loop.
Flake
A flake refers to any number of turns in a coiled rope. Likewise, to flake a rope means to coil it.
"Flaking" or "Faking" also means to lay a rope on a surface ready to use or to run out quickly without tangles.
Fraps
Fraps are a set of loops coiled perpendicularly around the wraps of a lashing as a means of tightening.
Friction hitch
A friction hitch is a knot that attaches one rope to another in a way that allows the knot's position to easily be adjusted. Sometimes friction hitches are called slide-and-grip knots. They are often used in climbing applications.
Hitch
A hitch is a knot that attaches a rope to some object, often a ring, rail, spar, or post.
Jamming
A jamming knot is any knot that becomes very difficult to untie after use. Knots that are resistant to jamming are called non-jamming knots.
Lashing
A lashing is an arrangement of rope used to secure two or more items together in a rigid manner. Common uses include the joining scaffolding poles and the securing of sailing masts. The square lashing, diagonal lashing, and shear lashing are well-known lashings used to bind poles perpendicularly, diagonally, and in parallel, respectively.
Loop
A loop is one of the fundamental structures used to tie knots. It is a full circle formed by passing the working end of a rope over itself. When the legs of a closed loop are crossed to form a loop, the rope has taken a turn.
Loop knot
A loop knot is the type of knot that forms a fixed loop. It is created either when the end of a rope is fastened to its own standing part or when a loop in the bight of a rope is knotted. Unlike a hitch, a loop knot creates a fixed loop in a rope that maintains its structure regardless of whether or not it is fastened to an object. In other words, a loop knot can be removed from an object without losing its shape.
Noose
A noose can refer to any sliding loop in which the loop tightens when pulled.
Open loop
An open loop is a curve in a rope that resembles a semicircle in which the legs are not touching or crossed. The legs of an open loop are brought together narrower than they are in a bight.
Seizing
A seizing is a knot that binds two pieces of rope together side by side, normally in order to create a loop. The structure of seizings is similar to that of lashings.
Setting
Setting a knot is the process of tightening it. Improper setting can cause certain knots to underperform.
Slipped knot
The slipped form of the buntline hitch (on the right) can easily be untied by pulling the hanging end and withdrawing the loop.A slipped knot is any knot that unties when an end is pulled. Thus, tying the slipped form of a knot makes it easier to untie, especially when the knot is prone to jamming.
Splice
Splicing is a method of joining two ropes done by untwisting and then re-weaving the rope's strands.
Standing end
The standing end (or standing part) of a rope is the part not active in knot tying. It is the part opposite of the working end.
Stopper knot
A stopper knot is the type of knot tied to prevent a rope slipping through a grommet. The overhand knot is the simplest single-strand stopper knot.
Whipping
A whipping is a binding knot tied around the end of a rope to prevent the rope from unraveling.
Working end
The working end (or working part) of a rope is the part active in knot tying. It is the part opposite of the standing end.
Bend
A bend is a knot used to join two lengths of rope.
Bight
A bight has two meanings in knotting. It can mean either any central part of a rope (between the standing end and the working end) or an arc in a rope that is at least as wide as a semicircle. In either case, a bight is a length of rope that does not cross itself. Knots that can be tied without use of the working end are called knots on the bight.
Binding knot
Binding knots are knots that either constrict a single object or hold two objects snugly together. Whippings, seizings and lashings serve a similar purpose to binding knots, but contain too many wraps to be properly called a knot. In binding knots, the ends of rope are either joined together or tucked under the turns of the knot.
Bitter endAnother term for the working end.
Capsizing
The reef knot can capsize if one of its standing ends is pulled.A knot that has capsized has deformed into a different structure. Although capsizing is sometimes the result of incorrect tying or misuse, it can also be done purposefully in certain cases to strengthen the knot (see the carrick bend).
Chirality
Chirality is the 'handedness' of a knot. Topologically speaking, a knot and its mirror image may or may not have knot equivalence.
Decorative knot
Although primarily tied for decorative purposes, the Turk's head knot can serve as a hand grip when tied around a cylindrical object.Main article: List of decorative knotsA decorative knot is any aesthetically pleasing knot. Although it is not necessarily the case, most decorative knots also have practical applications or were derived from other well-known knots. Decorative knotting is one of the oldest and most widely distributed folk art.
Dressing
Knot dressing is the process of arranging a knot in such a way as to improve its performance. Crossing or uncrossing the rope in a specific way, depending on the knot, can increase the knot's strength as well as reduce its jamming potential.
Elbow
An elbow refers to any two nearby crossings of a rope. An elbow is created when an additional twist is made in a loop.
Flake
A flake refers to any number of turns in a coiled rope. Likewise, to flake a rope means to coil it.
"Flaking" or "Faking" also means to lay a rope on a surface ready to use or to run out quickly without tangles.
Fraps
Fraps are a set of loops coiled perpendicularly around the wraps of a lashing as a means of tightening.
Friction hitch
A friction hitch is a knot that attaches one rope to another in a way that allows the knot's position to easily be adjusted. Sometimes friction hitches are called slide-and-grip knots. They are often used in climbing applications.
Hitch
A hitch is a knot that attaches a rope to some object, often a ring, rail, spar, or post.
Jamming
A jamming knot is any knot that becomes very difficult to untie after use. Knots that are resistant to jamming are called non-jamming knots.
Lashing
A lashing is an arrangement of rope used to secure two or more items together in a rigid manner. Common uses include the joining scaffolding poles and the securing of sailing masts. The square lashing, diagonal lashing, and shear lashing are well-known lashings used to bind poles perpendicularly, diagonally, and in parallel, respectively.
Loop
A loop is one of the fundamental structures used to tie knots. It is a full circle formed by passing the working end of a rope over itself. When the legs of a closed loop are crossed to form a loop, the rope has taken a turn.
Loop knot
A loop knot is the type of knot that forms a fixed loop. It is created either when the end of a rope is fastened to its own standing part or when a loop in the bight of a rope is knotted. Unlike a hitch, a loop knot creates a fixed loop in a rope that maintains its structure regardless of whether or not it is fastened to an object. In other words, a loop knot can be removed from an object without losing its shape.
Noose
A noose can refer to any sliding loop in which the loop tightens when pulled.
Open loop
An open loop is a curve in a rope that resembles a semicircle in which the legs are not touching or crossed. The legs of an open loop are brought together narrower than they are in a bight.
Seizing
A seizing is a knot that binds two pieces of rope together side by side, normally in order to create a loop. The structure of seizings is similar to that of lashings.
Setting
Setting a knot is the process of tightening it. Improper setting can cause certain knots to underperform.
Slipped knot
The slipped form of the buntline hitch (on the right) can easily be untied by pulling the hanging end and withdrawing the loop.A slipped knot is any knot that unties when an end is pulled. Thus, tying the slipped form of a knot makes it easier to untie, especially when the knot is prone to jamming.
Splice
Splicing is a method of joining two ropes done by untwisting and then re-weaving the rope's strands.
Standing end
The standing end (or standing part) of a rope is the part not active in knot tying. It is the part opposite of the working end.
Stopper knot
A stopper knot is the type of knot tied to prevent a rope slipping through a grommet. The overhand knot is the simplest single-strand stopper knot.
Whipping
A whipping is a binding knot tied around the end of a rope to prevent the rope from unraveling.
Working end
The working end (or working part) of a rope is the part active in knot tying. It is the part opposite of the standing end.