Outils pour la meilleure vie possible^TM

Comme dit dedans Trois noeuds et la vérité il est incroyable ce qui peut être fait avec trois noeuds : Bowline, Buntline et double courbure de feuille. Si vous êtes content pour apprendre seulement ces trois alors obtiennent deux morceaux de corde et commencent à pratiquer. Que ceux qui veulent apprendre plus il est utile de rapporter une mesure et regardent la grande image.

Il y a des noeuds pour tout. Cependant, presque des chaque des milliers de noeuds inventés font un de cinq choses. Ils :

1. Arrêt - arrêtez la corde du dépassement par un trou ou aux rives d'arrêt d'unlaying.
2. Grippage - Objets de grippage à d'autres objets.
3. Boucle - Mettez une boucle au milieu ou l'extrémité d'une corde.
4. Courbure - Joint les extrémités de deux cordes ensemble.
5. Accroc - Attachez une corde à un objet.

Pour optimiser votre temps je propose d'apprendre le meilleur seul noeud pour chacune de ces cinq fonctions avant d'apprendre beaucoup de noeuds qui font la même chose. En d'autres termes, je propose que vous. . .

Allez au loin avant profondément

Vous êtes meilleur outre de faire plus avec moins de noeuds qu'apprenant beaucoup de manières de faire la même chose. Pour des raisons de mémoire, de temps et de confusion spatiale j'ai commandé la liste suivante de pratique pour couvrir l'éventail de fonction de quelque nombre de noeuds.

Quand vous avez une pratique minutieuse ces noeuds, dans l'ordre. Si vous pouvez attacher un facilement puis allez au prochain nouent. Si vous êtes coincé sur un il est le meilleur pour le maîtriser avant de passer. Les noeuds que vous pouvez attacher facilement sont beaucoup plus valables qui des noeuds que vous ne pouvez pas se rappeler.

Ne jugez pas que vous devez obtenir à la fin de cette liste d'être compétent. J'ai inclus 22 noeuds pour la perfection et parce que c'est ma propre liste de pratique à accéder de mon téléphone. Ces 22 noeuds représentent une liste de compétence de vie. Votre capacité d'improviser des solutions de corde sera tout à fait incroyable avec juste les sept premiers noeuds.

Une note sur des choix

Les choix suivants sont de mon expérience réelle de la position avantageuse d'un généraliste. Ce n'est pas détail d'activité. My choices favor knots that are most useful, strong, secure (Won’t slip), stable (Won’t capsize), easy to tie and untie though few have every one of those characteristics. No knot is perfect.

Practice Materials

All you need is two pieces of rope. Get 12 feet of small rope at the hardware store and cut it in half. Pick up a carabiner while you’re there.

Web

You can watch each knot being tied on the web.

Book

My favorite knot book is DK’s Handbook of Knots by Des Pawson. It’s compact, comprehensive, the pictures are clear and the plastic covering and glossy pages don’t run when they get wet.

Wallet Cards

I used to carry these waterproof knot cards when boating. Now, I practice from memory, learn new knots from the DK book or the iphone apps, below.

Phone Apps

John Sherry’s animated version of the wallet cards is slick, but, doesn’t have enough knots. I purchased the full version of the winkpass knot guide because it’s the most comprehensive. If you prefer video over slides then the full version of knot time is good though with less knots than the winkpass. I purchased both (For a total of $5) just to have the same knots tied from two points of view. Both apps advertise they intend to keep adding knots.

References

International Guild of Knot Tyers

IGKT Discussion on Best of Breed Knots

Knots on the Web

Knots for Life – Part 1: Three Knots and the Truth

Stay tuned for "Knots for Life – Part 3 and 4":

• Knots for Life – Part 3: Improvisation and Rules of Thumb
• Knots for Life – Part 4: Real Life Examples

Knots are like guitar chords: You can rock n’ roll with three knots and the truth.

A minimalist could muddle through life with one knot: The bowline can be used as a loop, hitch or bend. It can be tied with one hand and its variations perform a wide range of duties. Double it for critical work.

To rock n’ roll learn two more knots: The buntline Hitch¹ and the double sheet bend².

It’s incredible what can be done with these Big Three knots. Practice them into your hands and rock n’ roll through most of life’s rope problems.

Do you prefer Jazz? It won’t take many more knots to improvise like a pro. This "Knots for Life" series will optimize your path with a practice list, improvisation techniques, rules of thumb and real life examples.

Whether you stay with The Big Three or branch out some truths about knots and ropes will set an optimal tone for the webs you weave. There are good reasons, even for a minimalist, to learn a few more.

Less is Three Times More

Knots are elegant tools that multiply the uses of rope. The right combination can transform an ordinary rope into the optimal tool for an endless variety of tasks. As much as I love tying them there are good reasons for minimizing the number used because . . .

Knots Weaken Rope

Knots weaken the rope they’re made from. Where strength is critical minimize knots even to the point of using non-rope materials.

Circus, Circus in Las Vegas uses metal, grommets and cables for their permanent circus installation. Ropes and lines are reserved for nets and swings that come into contact with the performers hands and skin. Braids, splices and loops are stronger than knots. Consider using them instead of a knot. There may not be time to braid or splice, but, why knot when you can loop?

When a knot is the right tool choose ones that are strong, secure (Won’t slip), stable (Won’t capsize), easy to tie and untie.

Knots are Hard to Remember

You’re better off with one knot you can tie than 10 you can’t remember. Keep a knot card in your wallet and two lines of paracord in your pocket. Practice The Big Three into your hands. Muscle memory ties when spatial memory fails. Speaking of which . . .

Knots Must Often Be Tied Upside Down and Backwards

The one knot you can remember may have to be tied hanging upside down, with one hand, in the dark or with:

• Only one rope end available
• No ends available (In the middle of the rope)
• One or both ends under tension

Confidence gained in the living room with knot cards can be quickly dashed. The Big Three won’t handle all these situations. It’s best to anticipate, add a few knots to your list and practice them from different vantage points and without looking.

Ropes Vary Greatly

Rope problems often present with two ropes that are:

• Thick-to-thin
• Slippery-to-dry
• Flat-to-round
• Flat-to-flat
• Bungy-to-vine
• Vine-to-vine
• Vine-to-object
• paracord-to-paracord
• paracord-to-shoelace
• paracord-to-rope
• dental floss-to-bungy
• shoelace-to-rope
• And on and on with every rope material on earth.

Ironically, a weak rope knot may be a strong vine knot, and vice versa. Once again, The Big Three can’t be expected to handle every type of rope.

Less is still three times more, but, there are practical reasons to learn a few more knots than The Big Three.

". . .extreme simplicity can only be had at the expense of effectiveness."

- Brion Toss – The Rigger’s Apprentice, 1984

¹I like the clove hitch for quick undemanding tasks like securing the ends of a lash or keeping rope off the ground while barbecuing. But, I wouldn’t use a clove hitch to tie my dog’s leash around a pole. Why? Because I love my dog. Why use a clove hitch when you could tie a buntline for the same time and effort? Besides, the buntline has two clove hitches facing the loop, is only a slightly weaker replacement for an anchor bend and if made with with a full loop is hands down stronger than a loop with 2 half-hitches. The first paragraph of this article presents three knots with the widest range of utility for some who may not be interested in going any further than these three. With these criteria in mind? No clove hitch, no way.

²Why a sheet bend instead of a double fisherman’s bend? Frankly, I prefer the double fisherman, but, there are so many situations where two different sized ropes must be joined that a person who doesn’t have The sheet bend in their hands will come up short. Notice I specify the double sheet bend. If you’ll only have one bend under your hands then the 7-10% extra strength is prudent.

Stay tuned for "Knots for Life – Part 2 thru 4":

• Knots for Life – Part 2: Wide Before Deep Practice List
• Knots for Life – Part 3: Improvisation and Rules of Thumb
• Knots for Life – Part 4: Real Life Examples