Self-Sufficiency Skills: Knots

[darthgall]

Not saying anyone else has to do anything; I think it's totally legit if all your energy is expended on just getting by in these strange times. 

But I'd like to add a skill or two to my tool set while stuck at home. Wife and I have been baking bread, I brewed a batch of beer, cooking more... if there's something you're excited about, please start a "Self-Sufficiency Skills: X" thread to share with the crew here. 

Prior to COVID-19, I had been thinking of trying my hand at sailing in the summer, and thinking of my days as a Boy Scout, and knots... knots are an obviously useful skill for both sailing and bushcrafting. Sadly, I've pretty much forgotten most of them from scouts, which happens when you don't practice a perishable skill like that... so I think it's time to take it up again.

Trying to be efficient, I'm trying to come up with a list of a minimal number of knots that would get you through 95% of sailing/bushcrafting needs.

Here’s what I’ve come up with:

List A - The Essentials
Bowline – put a pretty secure loop at the end of a rope

Clove hitch, AKA double hitch, AKA two half hitches – secure a rope around a post, starting lashes, etc.

Sheet Bend – joins two ropes together, even if differing diameters

Square knot, aka reef knot – for reefing sails


B-List - also important, but you can get by without
Cleat hitch – tying ship to cleat on a dock

Taut-line hitch – used to made adjustable loop at end of rope

So what's the minimalist list of knots that Conan would've known? 

-Mick. 

[kemp]

Apr 9, 2020 16:04:45 GMT -5 darthgall said:

Not saying anyone else has to do anything; I think it's totally legit if all your energy is expended on just getting by in these strange times. 

But I'd like to add a skill or two to my tool set while stuck at home. Wife and I have been baking bread, I brewed a batch of beer, cooking more... if there's something you're excited about, please start a "Self-Sufficiency Skills: X" thread to share with the crew here. 

Prior to COVID-19, I had been thinking of trying my hand at sailing in the summer, and thinking of my days as a Boy Scout, and knots... knots are an obviously useful skill for both sailing and bushcrafting. Sadly, I've pretty much forgotten most of them from scouts, which happens when you don't practice a perishable skill like that... so I think it's time to take it up again.

Trying to be efficient, I'm trying to come up with a list of a minimal number of knots that would get you through 95% of sailing/bushcrafting needs.

Here’s what I’ve come up with:

List A - The Essentials
Bowline – put a pretty secure loop at the end of a rope

Clove hitch, AKA double hitch, AKA two half hitches – secure a rope around a post, starting lashes, etc.

Sheet Bend – joins two ropes together, even if differing diameters

Square knot, aka reef knot – for reefing sails


B-List - also important, but you can get by without
Cleat hitch – tying ship to cleat on a dock

Taut-line hitch – used to made adjustable loop at end of rope

So what's the minimalist list of knots that Conan would've known? 

-Mick. 

Mick, hope you get back into sailing after the heat dies down. I will be doing some hiking later on. Maybe you can help me out here. 

One of my future projects will a great bellows. Had an old one that did the job ( blacksmithing ), but will be making an improved version that will rock. It’s also a woodworking side project for me.

My old bellows, I ran out of thread and used dental floss to hand stitch the leather together, double looped over the work, but I know some guys saddle stitch it together.

I also want to use better thread, came across somewhere about a type of strong thread to use for such a purpose, but I didn’t record what it was, could be linen or nylon, maybe I am just overthinking it and should just use anything that is sturdy and strong. 

[darthgall]

Lots of running, working out and even some short hikes here, too, so that'll probably hold me until real summer, we'll see if some sailing classes kick off.

Hmmm... what you're describing is interesting. I'm not a thread guru (my wife is the sewing expert in the house), I've mostly been interested in making sure the thread is the right brown to match my military stuff lol.

Maybe either silk or catgut? Both strong, neither would melt (I know nothign about blacksmithing... does hot air get sucked back into the bellows?)

For others here's a nice little knot thing I've been spending a few minutes with every day... just like any other skill, it's all about sets and reps!

www.amazon.com/Tying-Pro-Knot-Cards-practice-carabiner/dp/0922273294/

[kemp]

The hot air is not a problem, air output is continuous, and I insulate the outflow pipe with fireproof cement just in case.

I’m thinking of bonded nylon thread, and I might use it for blade sheaths, made welt sheath in the past for my Cold Steel Warhead. That’s the thing with this hobby, it can send you into all kinds of places, and you start thinking of things you never thought about before, but that’s good.

Anyway, happy knot tying

[trescuinge]

As a scout I always like the tripod lashing knot. It fastens three poles together at the top to make a tripod.

[Char-Vell]

[hellspite]

I took an interest in knots when I was a Cub Scout leader, learning a handful of knots to teach the boys as one of their requirements. That was some years ago, and I've forgotten most of them. I should start practicing them again. They're a fascinating study.