Knots

See also: Wikipedia:List of knots
A **knot** is an intentional complication in cordage which may be useful or decorative. Practical knots may be classified as hitches, bends, splices, or knots.

* A *hitch* fastens a rope to another object.
* A *bend* unites two rope ends.
* A *splice* is a multi-strand bend or loop.
* A *knot* in the strictest sense serves as a stopper or knob at the end of a rope to keep that end from slipping through a grommet or eye.

Knots have excited interest since ancient times for their practical uses, as well as their topological intricacy, studied in the area of mathematics known as knot theory.

## Half hitch

From Wikipedia:Half hitch

The **half hitch** is a simple overhand knot, where the working end of a line is brought over and under the standing part. Insecure on its own, it is a valuable component of a wide variety of useful and reliable hitches, bends, and knots.

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> > 46. The overhand is the simplest of the single-strand stopper knots, and is *tied with one end* around its own standing part, its purpose being to prevent unreeving.
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> > 47. The half knot is a binding knot, being the first movement of the reef or square knot. It is *tied with two ends around an object* and is used when reefing, furling, and tying up parcels, shoestrings, and the like.
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> > 48. The half hitch is *tied with one end* of a rope which is passed around an object and secured to its own standing part with a single hitch.
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> — *The Ashley Book of Knots*
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Two successive half hitches tied around an object makes up the common clove hitch.

## Overhand knot

From Wikipedia:Overhand knot

The **overhand knot**, also known as a **simple knot** and **half knot**, is one of the most fundamental knots, and it forms the basis of many others, including the simple noose, overhand loop, angler's loop, reef knot, fisherman's knot, and water knot. The overhand knot is a stopper, especially when used alone, and hence it is very secure, to the point of jamming badly. It should be used if the knot is intended to be permanent. It is often used to prevent the end of a rope from unraveling. An overhand knot becomes a trefoil knot, a true knot in the mathematical sense, by joining the ends.

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> > 46. The overhand is the simplest of the single-strand stopper knots, and is *tied with one end* around its own standing part, its purpose being to prevent unreeving.
> >
> > 47. The half knot is a binding knot, being the first movement of the reef or square knot. It is *tied with two ends around an object* and is used when reefing, furling, and tying up parcels, shoestrings, and the like.
> >
> > 48. The half hitch is *tied with one end* of a rope which is passed around an object and secured to its own standing part with a single hitch.
> >
> >
> >
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> — *The Ashley Book of Knots*
>

## Shoelace knot

The **shoelace knot**, or **bow knot**, is commonly used for tying shoelaces and bow ties.

The shoelace knot is a doubly slipped reef knot (not a granny knot) formed by joining the ends of whatever is being tied with a half hitch, folding each of the exposed ends into a loop (bight) and joining the loops with a second half hitch. The size of the loops and the length of the exposed ends are adjusted when the knot is tied. It has the stability of the reef knot but is significantly easier to untie, simply by pulling the ends away from the center of the knot.

The loops are sometimes referred to as "bunny ears", especially when the knot is taught to children.

## Zeppelin bend

From Zeppelin bend:

A **Zeppelin bend** is a symmetrical and inherently secure end-to-end joining knot. It is remarkable because it is stable and secure and totally resistant to jamming. It is resistant to the effects of slack shaking and cyclic loading. There is no load test that has managed to induce jamming. The structure fundamentally consists of two interlinked overhand knots (#515). The Zeppelin bend has point inversion symmetry.

Front viewBack viewZeppelin bend step by stepLoosening / untying
## Tarp corner knot

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