Tying Knots - Any Boyscouts Out There?

[apoptygma]

I was told once by a colleague who was in the military that if you can't tie knots, tie lots.

I'm fairly outdoorsy, but I have been sadly lacking in my knot tying skill.
So I recently bought a book with over 100 knots in it.
An old friend, who was a boy scout and I have lost touch with told me once that you really only need about a dozen knots for pretty much any situation.

So before I get into reading the book, I want to focus on a subset of just the most useful knots.
If you have experience with knot tying (boy scouts, sailing, back country, etc.) I would appreciate you chiming in.

Below is a list of all the knots, bends, loops, etc. in the book I have.
Thank you so much if you choose to contribute!

BASIC KNOTS
overhand knot
double overhand knot
triple overhand knot
overhand knot with drawloop
two strand overhand knot
half hitch
two half hitches
overhand loop
double overhand loop
scaffold knot
multiple scaffold knot
oysterman’s stopper kot
stevedore’s knot
figure eight stopper knot
heaving line knot
monkey’s fist

BENDS
sheet bend
flemish bend
double figure of eight bend
fisherman’s knot
double fisherman’s knot
zepplin bend
adjustable bend
harness bend
double harness bend with parallel ends
surgenon’s knot
hunter’s bend
strop bend
vice versa
simple simon over
simple simon under
simple simon double
bowline bend
shake hands
apline butterfly bend
blood knot
double grinner knot

BINDING KNOTS
granny knot
square knot
theif knot
constrictor knot
double constrictor knot
transom knot
bag knot
packer’s knot
boa knot
bottle sling knot
asher’s equalizer
marline hitch
clove hitch
clove hitch with a working end
figure of eight hitch
pedigree cow hitch
cow hitch variant
buntline hitch
ground line hitch
anchor bend
anchor bend variant
cat’s paw
highwayman’s hitch
rolling hitch
halter hitch
pile hitch
double pile hitch
vibration-proof hitch
snuggle hitch
boom hitch
lighterman’s hitch
bale sling hitch
ring hitch
knute hitch

LOOPS
bowline
double bowline
water bowline
angler’s loop
figure of eight loop
figure of eight follow through
double figure of eight loop
triple figure of eight loop
directional figure of eight
farmer’s loop
blood loop dropper knot
bowstring knot
apline butterfly
artillerly loop
adjustable loop
whater knot
arbor knot
tom fool’s knot
handcuff knot
fireman’s chair knot
hangman’s noose
munter hitch
double munter hitch
prusik

COILS
apline coil
figure of eight coil
fireman’s coil daisy chain

 

[Goodoer]

I know three knots for fishing: Arbor, Albright and Palomar; and an 'decorative' one for tying up my boat. After that, I'm lost.

It is impressive when you meet someone who knows knots well when you need a special knot tied... Pure Man Skill.

I don't have books, but I love this guy's website:

https://www.animatedknots.com/index.php

 

[IFUSEEKAMY]

I know three knots for fishing: Arbor, Albright and Palomar; and an 'decorative' one for tying up my boat. After that, I'm lost.

It is impressive when you meet someone who knows knots well when you need a special knot tied... Pure Man Skill.

I don't have books, but I love this guys website:

https://www.animatedknots.com/index.php

Omygosh those animations are mini-orgasm inducing. So many of the knots I didn’t realize I knew have “hitch” in the name.

 

[explorerzip]

The earliest knot I learned back in my Scout days was the reef knot. Probably the only one I can still tie too. But it's very useful for something we all do every day: tying shoes. It will prevent the laces from undoing.

 

[Goodoer]

Oh yeah! Shoes! I know 5 knots then.

 

[wazup]

I only know one, Don Knotts.

 

[Mr Deeds]

Im a sailor so I learned lots of knots from a young age and you will will never use 90% of the list you have and a lot of knots are the same just tied different. If you need to know a specific knot go on u tube forget the book

 

[oldjones]

In the half century since leaving Sea Scouts, I have often found use for, and still use these: Hitches: Clove hitch; half-hitches single and double, with and w/o the round turn; teamsters's hitch, and ladder hitch, Bends: Sheet bend single and double, reef knot, fisherman's bend, Stoppers: Figure eight; overhand, single and double. And of course the Bowline, single and double.

 

[apoptygma]

In the half century since leaving Sea Scouts, I have often found use for, and still use these: Hitches: Clove hitch; half-hitches single and double, with and w/o the round turn; teamsters's hitch, and ladder hitch, Bends: Sheet bend single and double, reef knot, fisherman's bend, Stoppers: Figure eight; overhand, single and double. And of course the Bowline, single and double.

Thank you so much!!!

 

[KBear]

Found this video helpful.

7 Essential Knots You Need To Know

For camping specifically, there are a few more knots that would be worth learning.

 

[wigglee]

Bowline one of the best and most useful knots.

 

[oldjones]

Bowline one of the best and most useful knots.

In the words of the poet, A.P Herbert M.P.:

The bowline is the king of knots,
or if you like it, bends.
A bowline on a bollard is,
the best of journey's ends.​

A lesson repeated offered over the years, from scouters, to truck drivers and rigging grips, is that of all the knots, the bowline weakens the rope it's tied with the least.

 

[malata]

i know how to clip a bow tie on

 

[GameBoy27]

In the half century since leaving Sea Scouts, I have often found use for, and still use these: Hitches: Clove hitch; half-hitches single and double, with and w/o the round turn; teamsters's hitch, and ladder hitch, Bends: Sheet bend single and double, reef knot, fisherman's bend, Stoppers: Figure eight; overhand, single and double. And of course the Bowline, single and double.

Bowline one of the best and most useful knots.

I used to race sailboats so in my opinion, your list is bang on. The Bowline being my favourite and most useful.

 

[JackBurton]

Yeah, knowing knots seems to be a skill that’s slowly being lost. This is a great list, full of fun things.

I’m partial to a funky one called the Icicle Hitch. You can tie it to a vertical pole as slippery as the metal is, it won’t slip when under load. Some rope geek invented it in the 90’s. Amazing knot if you are dating a chick with a stripper pole!