ROPEMANSHIP

INTRODUCTION

Ropes are used in the mountains for varied occasions. They are used from rescue or emergency situations to drying your wet clothes as a clothesline. When going out into the wilderness, bring the lightest and strongest rope you can carry. It can really make a difference when you encounter emergency situations.

TYPES OF ROPE

Common materials for rope include :natural fibers such as manila hemp, hemp, linen, cotton, coir and sisal.

Kernmantle Rope

A large number of filaments running the whole length of the rope are contained in a braided sheath. This construction gives it a high tensile strength, protection against abrasion and comparative freedom from twisting. Kermantle ropes are commonly available from a diameter of 2mm to 14 mm. The smaller sizes are used for a variety of ways while the bigger ones (10 – 12 mm) are used for climbing.

Laid or Twisted Rope

natural synthetic fibers are twisted into yarns into strands, and the strands twisted into ropes. "Hawser-laid" rope with a diameter of 11 mm, made of strong nylon, may be used as a mountaineering rope.

KNOT TYING

Common Common Tie Tie Securing Securing TermsTerms

Tie A generic term encompassing Tie A generic term encompassing all the general categories of all the general categories of securing cordage, including: securing cordage, including: hitches, bends and knots.hitches, bends and knots.

Knot A fixed, non-moveable place Knot A fixed, non-moveable place on a piece of cordage that is on a piece of cordage that is achieved through turns, bends, and achieved through turns, bends, and tie-offs.tie-offs.

Hitch A group of ties that wrap Hitch A group of ties that wrap or attach to other objects or or attach to other objects or ropes. Almost always, when the ropes. Almost always, when the object is removed, the tie will object is removed, the tie will fall apart.fall apart.

Bend A tie that unites two rope Bend A tie that unites two rope ends. ends.

Bight A doubled section of rope, Bight A doubled section of rope, usually taken from the center of the usually taken from the center of the rope, that does not cross itself.rope, that does not cross itself.

Loop A turn of the rope that crosses Loop A turn of the rope that crosses itself.itself.

StoppersKnots on the end of a rope or yarn.

Stoppers

The Overhand Knot or Half Knot

This is the simplest knot. Therefore probably the most used. The knot is very useful to support knots in yarns. The loose ends become a bit thicker. When this support makes the total bend too bulky you have to look for another bend. The overhand knot is not strong, so it is not used in situations where you might expect great force. It also reduces the strength of the rope or yarn by about 50%. But as an "anti-slip-knot" it does not have to withstand a lot.

The Double Overhand Knot

is beautiful, thicker than the common overhand knot, but not any stronger. But use it with caution. The double overhand knot is also called the bloodknot when it is used at the end of a whip. This knot has several ways of tying and in principle two ways of working up. Both ways of tying shown here also show both results. The bloodknot shown in the middle is the preferred way of working up the second way of tying marked with the crosses. The bloodknot is very hard to untie after it has been under stress. If you put an object through the cross-marked hole the knot will work up as the strangleknot. It is usefull to practice this way.

The Multifold-Overhand-knot

if you make more than two turns in the overhand knot it will be fatter. (But hardly stronger.) In twined rope it is important to work up the knot very carefully. (It will not only look neater, it will prevent 'kinking' which will weaken the rope even more!)

The (Flemish) Eight

This knot is larger, stronger and more easy to untie than the overhand knot. It does not harm your rope as much as the overhand knot does. So therefore sailors use this knot in most cases. (! not for bend support, where the smaller overhand is used, or in rope, a permanent small stopper)

Bends

The Reef-Knot

is only useful in simple applications. " It is easy tied and will not jam, so it is always easy to untie. It is used to tie packages, and as a base for he shoe-bow. Sailors used it for binding rolled sails or better reefed sails. And that is where it got its english name from. Americans call it the square knot.

The True Lovers, or Fisherman's Knot

With two equal overhand knots it is symmetrical. This is probably the most used variant.

Sheet Bend

Bow knot.

In its simplest form, is a modification of the square knot. The first overhand knot is tied with the ends of the rope as in the square knot, but in tying the second overhand knot the ends are doubled into loops and the knot is tied with the loops rather than the ends. The bow knot is simpler to untie than the square knot, because it can be loosened by pulling on the ends. It is also more decorative and is frequently used for tying neckties, shoelaces, and packages.

Hitches

Simple Hitch / Single Hitch

Although this is probably the simplest knot of all, you have to be a skilled knot-tyer to know how to tye and use it in a safe way. The loose end of the rope is nipped against the object and the standing part. The best nip is obtained against an edge or shoulder. If the load is released and the standing part shaken, the hitch is spilled instantly.

The Half Hitch

This is the capsized overhand knot. It is very useful to carry light loads which have to be removed easily.

The Clove Hitch

This is a very important knot of only theoretical value. Without extra support, it is untrustworthy in any situation, except as a crossing knot. You have to learn it for scouting and at sailing schools. If you have to use it, work it up properly; pull length-wise only at both ends before you load the working end.

The two half hitches is used for tieing a rope with a right-angle pull to a pole or ring. It should be constant under load. (Not under constant load). It does not jam.

Cow Hitch

This hitch is really useful for tying a cow to a pole so it can graze round it. I myself would add an overhand knot at the loose end as a stopper.

Loops

The Bowline

is a multi-purpose knot that is as easily untied as tied. If tied incorrectly, the knot will fall apart into some unknown tangle. Its loop size is easily adjusted. It has a high efficiency rating, but has been known to work loose during repeated loadings, especially with softer ropes. The end of the rope should be oriented on the inside of the major loop, not on teh outside. On the outside of the loop the end is vulnerable to snagging. Snagging may cause capsizing of the knot, resulting in a slip knot.This is one knot that must be dressed and set. If left loose, it can distort and fall apart. It's best to back it up with an Overhand knot.

The Double Eight with a Loop

is a knot used by climbers. It is easy to tie and safer as the bowline. There is a discussion whether there should be a stopper at the end of the loose end or not. Speed of (un)tying is a safety factor itself.

Tucked Double Overhand

If you need a good looking and strong loop this is a good candidate. The Loose end must be at least two to three rope diameters long. But if you make the loose end inflexible with for instance glue or by melting and you can hide it almost completely inside the two round turns. The "tucked double overhand" is a permanent loop.

Alpine Butterfly

An excellent easy to tie loop for applications needing a loop in another place than the rope-end, but somewhere in the middle. It has an excellent lead, and is secure even if the forces on both ends are stronger than the load in the loop.

Bight

Double Figure-of-eight on the bight

This double loop knot is most commonly used for rigging Y-belays. The nature of the knot means that it is reasonably easy to adjust the loops by moving rope from one of the loops to the other.

Bowline on the bight

This is another double loop knot suitable for rigging Y-belays. It has the advantage that is is a bit less bulky than the figure-of-eight on the bight.

Prusik knots

A classic prusik knot is shown on the left, and a Kleimheist prusik knot on the right. Either of these, along with other prusik knots, can be used to prusik up a rope. The rope used for the prusik-loop should be a fair bit thinner than the rope to be climbed.

Tape/Water Knot

This knot is primarily used for tying tapes into slings for caving or climbing. The ends of the tape emerging from the knot should be secured to the tape loop using half hitches or insulating tape.This knot is tied so that the load bearing tape emerges from opposite sides of the knot so it will sit naturally when the sling is in use.

Noose Knot

WARNING!! The noose is not a knot to play hangman with. Too many accidents already killed children who thought they could release it in time. Even not strong pulled nooses can be dangerous round your neck.

Simple Hangman