In this article, I will cover all the essential definitions you need to know before tying a knot.
Before tying your survival knot, we have to cover basic survival knot definitions. Here is an article on the 26 Survival Knots To Know Now (Most Essential Knots) that you might want to check out right after reading the definitions.
Let’s dig in.
Bend
A bend is a knot that joins two separated ropes or other bits of cordage together.
Bight
A bight is made by folding a piece of rope so it does not cross over itself. A bight has two primary meanings in survival knotting.
It can either mean a central part of a rope between the standing(non-active) and the working point(active/used in tying the knot) or an arc in a cord, which is as wide as a semi-circle.
Binding Knot
A binding knot is used to keep an object or multiple objects bonded together, usually with a rope that passes at least once around them.
Capsizing
Capsizing is a knot that has deformed into different structures. Most of the time, this is done accidentally, out of the misuse or incorrect trying.
However, this can also purposefully be done to make a knot stronger. For example, the image above this text is a reef knot, and if one of its standing ends is pulled, it will become capsized.
Crossing Point
A crossing point is where the rope crosses itself; this will happen if we take a bight of rope and twist it to form a loop.
Elbow
Elbows refer to crossings of a rope(s). An elbow is created when an additional twist is made in a loop.
Eye
An eye refers to any closed loop. An eye can be created on a bight by tying together other parts to it.
Above me is a variation of the eye. It’s called a noose, a sliding loop that tightens when pushed.
Hitch & Half-Hitch
A hitch is defined as a knot that attaches a rope to some object, usually a ring, rail, post, or spar. Similarly, a half-hitch is a knot formed by passing the end of a rope around its standing part and then through the loop.
Jamming
Jamming a knot is any knot that becomes very difficult to untie after use. If you want a knot that is not very difficult to undo, that is a non-jamming knot.
Knot
A knot is a fastening made by tying a piece of string, rope, or something similar.
Lashing
Lashing is the arrangement of rope, wire, or webbing with a linking device used to secure and fasten two or more items together. Lashing is more commonly applied to timber poles.
Load
The load refers to the weight of an object being secured by the survival knot. For example, if you are pulling logs, then the log is the load.
Loop
A loop is a full circle formed, passing the working(active) end of the rope over itself. Then the legs of a closed-loop are crossed to form a loop.
Rope
A rope is a strong cord made by twisted together strands of hemp or other artificial fibers.
Shock Load
A shock load happens when there is a sudden increase in load. In this case, the load will be more than the actual weight of the object.
An example can be when a climber falls, and the weight is suddenly added to the rope.
Standing & Working End
The standing end of a rope or cord is the part that is not active in a knot. It is the opposite party in the working end.
Turn
A turn is a single wrap around an object. A round turn is where the object is completely encircled.
Final Thought
Today, we covered all of the basic survival knot definitions you must know. Now that you know many essential survival knot definitions, you may want to check out 26 survival knots to know now.
Keep prepping!
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