Hi All,

The following is the text of a post to rec.crafts.knots. Rather than
just cross-posting, I'm giving it a short introduction.

Posted to rec.climbing and alt.sailing.asa
-----------------------------------------------------------------

I have (one supposes) "rediscovered" a knot that I think will
prove most valuable. At any rate, I have not seen it in any of my
references. It is, I believe, the strongest bend that can be untied
bare-handed after the rope has been brought to the breaking point.

In destructive testing in which it was tied in series with a
Hunter's bend, the Hunter's bend always parted (or slipped and parted)
and my bend was always capable of being untied without use of a
marlinspike or other artificial means. I have run countless tests
with the knot in series with all the bends and either they parted or
they were incapable of being untied bare handed. This knot is as easy
to untie as a Zeppelin bend but is much stronger.

The knot makes use of two interlinked figure eight knots, but only
the outer loops of the figure eights are linked. There are pictures
of the knot on Mr. Peter Suber's excellent web site
http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/knotgrfx/gallery.htm. In the
expanded view, the knot looks difficult to tie, but it is not. I tie
the first figure eight in my left-hand rope and then feed the end of
the right-hand rope through its outer loop in the same direction as,
and passing around the end of the left-hand figure eight. Then,
completing the right-hand figure eight, one tucks the end through the
intersection of the two figure eights in the opposite direction to the
left-hand end and you're done except for tightening and dressing the
knot.

I was lucky enough to have found this knot while undertaking some
trials to find the strongest untieable bend. I call it the Figure
Four bend since it's half a figure eight bend. I hope you will find
it useful. I have heard of some braided climbing rope that supposedly
will slip the core if tied with a double fisherman's bend, but will
lock the core if tied with a triple one. I'd like to try my bend on
that material. If anyone can undertake that test for me, I'd be most
grateful. Climbers and sailors are naturally suspicious of anyone
telling them they can bet their life on a new knot, but I think this
one may belong in their repertoire.

Regards,
O J Gritmon
)

"O J" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

The following is the text of a post to rec.crafts.knots. Rather than
just cross-posting, I'm giving it a short introduction.

Posted to rec.climbing and alt.sailing.asa
-----------------------------------------------------------------

I have (one supposes) "rediscovered" a knot that I think will
prove most valuable. At any rate, I have not seen it in any of my
references. It is, I believe, the strongest bend that can be untied
bare-handed after the rope has been brought to the breaking point.

I've had a go, and failed to come up with anything that looked like the
photo on the web site. My first attempt actually produced a very strong
knot, but it was different to your's.


Do you have more detailed pictures of the early stages of the knot?



Regards


Donal
--

On Tue, 13 Jan 2004 01:05:11 -0000, "Donal"
wrote:


I've had a go, and failed to come up with anything that looked like the
photo on the web site. My first attempt actually produced a very strong
knot, but it was different to your's.


Do you have more detailed pictures of the early stages of the knot?

Regards
Donal

Sorry no. I'll check with Peter, the webmaster of the site to see
what the reaction has been. The trouble may come when you are
starting the right-hand end through the loop and wrapping it around
the running end of the left-hand figure eight -- it's easy to start in
the wrong direction. Just follow diagram one and alternately pull the
standing parts and the ends. Hope this works for you.

Regards,
O J

On Tue, 13 Jan 2004 01:05:11 -0000, "Donal"
wrote:


I've had a go, and failed to come up with anything that looked like the
photo on the web site. My first attempt actually produced a very strong
knot, but it was different to your's.


Do you have more detailed pictures of the early stages of the knot?

Regards

Donal

Bowing to popular pressure, I've forwarded more detailed drawings
and text to Mr. Peter Suber, the webmaster. They should be up in a
day or so.

Regards,
O J