4 ms·

I started using a taught line hitch with cotton cord for hanging pictures. The taut line hitch makes it easy to adjust the height without moving the nail and t

I started using a taught line hitch with cotton cord for hanging pictures. The taut line hitch makes it easy to adjust the height without moving the nail and the cotton cord helps keep the taut line hitch from slipping (vs says monofilament).

japhyr 6y ago
The taut line hitch is a great knot to know for lots of situations; once you learn it, you'll find yourself using it in a number of different ways. It's great for adding guy lines to a tent fly, or hanging a tarp in the woods for camping. I've used it to tie small gifts together at the holidays.
- freedomben 6y ago
  Agree, the taut line hitch is amazing and an excellent knot to know. I also love the "trucker's hitch." I often use the truckers hitch in situations where having easy control over the tightness with minimal risk of slippage is my goal. If I need to adjust it much then taut line hitch is preferred, otherwise I truckers hitch is my favorite knot (and seems magical the first few times you use it).
- PuffinBlue 6y ago
  I like the Farrimond Friction Hitch[0] for this. It's essentially a quick release Prussik tied with the working end. You can use a toggle, or slip a second bight through the first to prevent accidental untying. Big benefit is that it is faster to tie in longer lengths of cord and it's faster to undo, being quick release. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farrimond_friction_hitch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farrimond_friction_hitch
- mirimir 6y ago
  Indeed. And with an alpine butterfly loop, you have basically tackle. So it's great for tying stuff, because tightening doesn't require retying.
ChuckMcM 6y ago
Agreed, any "knot explainer" that includes the step "Tie a few ‘granny knot’ L over R, then R over L to secure the underlying knot" immediately disqualifies it as an actual knot. The taughtline hitch is a much better knot for this. I never could master the trucker's hitch[1] though :-) [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUHgGK-tImY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUHgGK-tImY
- tgb 6y ago
  But doesn't alternating L over R then R over L make it actually a square knot? That's pretty classically an "actual" knot, albeit poorly described in this case.
  - burmer 6y ago
    I don’t think so, they’re just repeating half hitches for stability. This is very commonplace. I’ve never seen a reason to alternate the direction of the half hitches though.
    - tgb 6y ago
      Well, one comes undone easily and the other is more secure, compare here [1] or here [2] for example. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granny_knot https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granny_knot [2] https://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/grannyknot.htm https://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/grannyknot.htm
  - yardshop 6y ago
    Agreed, L over R then R over L is a square knot or reef knot. L over R, L over R would make a granny knot. But maybe in the UK both are called a granny knot? Interestingly, when a granny knot is collapsed (the cord on one side gets pulled taut), it becomes two half hitches. When a square knot is collapsed, it becomes a larks head or cow hitch knot. In the balanced state, the granny is a weaker knot and the square is stronger. In the collapsed state (then cleaned up a little bit), two half hitches is a stronger knot than a cow hitch.
Stratoscope 6y ago
For anyone like me who is thinking, "Gosh, I used to study knots and taut line hitch sure sounds familiar, but I can't quite place it right now..." https://www.google.com/search?q=taut+line+hitch https://www.google.com/search?q=taut+line+hitch

japhyr 6y ago

The taut line hitch is a great knot to know for lots of situations; once you learn it, you'll find yourself using it in a number of different ways. It's great for adding guy lines to a tent fly, or hanging a tarp in the woods for camping. I've used it to tie small gifts together at the holidays.

freedomben 6y ago
Agree, the taut line hitch is amazing and an excellent knot to know. I also love the "trucker's hitch." I often use the truckers hitch in situations where having easy control over the tightness with minimal risk of slippage is my goal. If I need to adjust it much then taut line hitch is preferred, otherwise I truckers hitch is my favorite knot (and seems magical the first few times you use it).
PuffinBlue 6y ago
I like the Farrimond Friction Hitch[0] for this. It's essentially a quick release Prussik tied with the working end. You can use a toggle, or slip a second bight through the first to prevent accidental untying. Big benefit is that it is faster to tie in longer lengths of cord and it's faster to undo, being quick release. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farrimond_friction_hitch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farrimond_friction_hitch
mirimir 6y ago
Indeed. And with an alpine butterfly loop, you have basically tackle. So it's great for tying stuff, because tightening doesn't require retying.

ChuckMcM 6y ago

Agreed, any "knot explainer" that includes the step "Tie a few ‘granny knot’ L over R, then R over L to secure the underlying knot" immediately disqualifies it as an actual knot. The taughtline hitch is a much better knot for this. I never could master the trucker's hitch[1] though :-) [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUHgGK-tImY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUHgGK-tImY

tgb 6y ago
But doesn't alternating L over R then R over L make it actually a square knot? That's pretty classically an "actual" knot, albeit poorly described in this case.
- burmer 6y ago
  I don’t think so, they’re just repeating half hitches for stability. This is very commonplace. I’ve never seen a reason to alternate the direction of the half hitches though.
  - tgb 6y ago
    Well, one comes undone easily and the other is more secure, compare here [1] or here [2] for example. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granny_knot https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granny_knot [2] https://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/grannyknot.htm https://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/grannyknot.htm
- yardshop 6y ago
  Agreed, L over R then R over L is a square knot or reef knot. L over R, L over R would make a granny knot. But maybe in the UK both are called a granny knot? Interestingly, when a granny knot is collapsed (the cord on one side gets pulled taut), it becomes two half hitches. When a square knot is collapsed, it becomes a larks head or cow hitch knot. In the balanced state, the granny is a weaker knot and the square is stronger. In the collapsed state (then cleaned up a little bit), two half hitches is a stronger knot than a cow hitch.

Stratoscope 6y ago

For anyone like me who is thinking, "Gosh, I used to study knots and taut line hitch sure sounds familiar, but I can't quite place it right now..." https://www.google.com/search?q=taut+line+hitch https://www.google.com/search?q=taut+line+hitch