Knot Resources

Project and Knot Tying Resources

For those of you new to knots, there are many references and sources of knots to be found. The acknowledged bible of knot books was published over sixty-seven years ago in 1944. It is The Ashley Book of Knots, written by Clifford Ashley. There are no other books that come close to the number and variety of knots shown in this book. There are over 3,900 knots and 7,000 illustrations. The book is divided into sections covering the usage and type of the knots. I found my copy at the local half price book store.

One of my favorite books is What Knot? by noted knot author Geoffrey Budworth. It has a flexible binding making it easy to lay flat on any surface.

At the other end of the spectrum are websites with excellent diagrams and animations detailing how knots are tied and their uses. An extensive and animated site is Animated Knots by Grog. Another animated site; NetKnots.

There are also apps for your iPhone illustrating knots; Pro-Knot. My absolute favorite iPhone app for knots is Knots 3D. You can also view videos on You Tube such as Tying It All Together. An exhaustive listing of links for knots can be found at Knots On The Web.

There are also many sites with creative knot tying projects such as lanyards and bracelets. The very best one is by Stormdrane. His blog covers many creative knot projects. He also has many links to relevant sites involving knots and sources of supplies for knot projects. Stromdrane also has a Flickr photo page illustrating his knot projects with his awesome photography.

The most popular and economical material for tying knots is Paracord. It's also known as Parachute Cord, 550 Cord, and Commercial Paracord. It is a light weight rope originally used in the suspension cords of parachutes in World War II. The Department of Defense U.S. Military version of paracord is Mil-Spec MIL-C-5040H/PIA-C-5040 Type III cord. In civilian speak this means the cord is rated for a minimum breaking strength of 550 pounds. You don't have to worry about all of this unless you plan on rigging your own parachute and jumping from a plane. Just a little history. Exhaustive information on what Mil-Spec Paracord is can be found in my newer posts. Also great sources to purchase it.

Knots

When most of us think of knots we think of Boy Scouts. Yes, knots are still studied and used by Boy Scouts, although probably not as extensively as they once were. The heyday of knots was probably during the early to mid 19th century. Whaling ships plied the high seas and horses were still the primary means of transportation and moving goods across land.

But the truth is knots are everywhere around us. We only need to look at this partial list of professions and activities to see how knots are still used today.

Arborists
Ballooning
Basket Weaving
Bookbinders
Bookmaking
Butchers
Camping
Candle making
Carpenter
Caving
Climbing
Crochet
Dressmaking
Falconers
Farmers
Farrier
Fishing
Horse Riding
Horse Roping
Jeweler
Kumihimo
Macramé
Magic
Mountaineering
Prospector
Ranchers
Record Keeping
Rescue
Rigging
Sailing
Shipping
Steeplejack
Surgeons
Surveyors
Tatting
Transportation
Trapper
Trucking
Weavers
Whip Making

This is only a partial list and I am sure we could add many more.

Knot use ranges from the recreational to the decorative to life critical. Rescuers, and the lives of the people they rescue, depend upon the security of the knots they tie. If a surgeon was to improperly tie a knot, or use the wrong knot, it could prove fatal for the patient.

Many people today still study and learn knots. In this column, I will discuss a range of knots and rope, cord and small stuff. From general knots that everyone should know to specialized knots only used by few people.

Welcome to the Knot Blog! I will be blogging all about knots, knotting, cord and paracord. From common knots to sailing knots and all knots in between.