Knots every man should know

Teach: Knots every man should know

What to say

Five knots cover almost everything: a bowline for a fixed loop that will not slip, a clove hitch to fasten a line to a post, a trucker's hitch to pull a load tight, a taut-line hitch for tent lines you can adjust, and a square knot to join two ends around a bundle. Practice each with a real rope until you can tie it without looking.

What to show, in order

1. Get a few feet of rope about as thick as a finger for practice.
2. Bowline: make a small loop in the standing line, pass the end up through it, around behind the standing line, and back down through the loop, then pull tight.
3. Clove hitch: wrap the rope around a post, cross it over itself, wrap again, and tuck the end under the second wrap.
4. Trucker's hitch: tie a fixed loop partway along the line, pass the end around the anchor and back through that loop, pull down hard for leverage, and lock it with two half hitches.
5. Taut-line hitch: pass the end around a stake, wrap it twice inside the loop toward the stake, once outside, and slide the knot to adjust tension.
6. Square knot: tie right over left and under, then left over right and under, so both ends sit on the same side.
7. Test every knot by loading it before you trust it, and leave a tail at least a few inches long.

The check question

Ask: Which knot makes a fixed loop that will not slip? Answer: The bowline

From EveryManKnows. General information, not professional advice.