Knot Handbook

George Lewis is the author of several books including Mates for Life and Strange Mates (Ammonite Press) and Castles and Waterfalls (Park Lane Books). He also contributes to newspapers, magazines, encyclopedias and partworks. Lewis learned about knots in the 1950s from herring fishermen on his ancestral Isle of Man. Pupil and teachers have long gone their separate ways: the former, like most Manxmen, to the British mainland through economic necessity; the latter into the history books after the Irish Sea was trawled to near exhaustion. Lewis retains the traditional knowledge and here demonstrates that knots can give us so much more than the means to catch the traditional accompaniment to chips.

• Introduction 6Alpine Butterfly Loop 8Anchor Bend 10 Angler’s Knot 12Ashley Stopper Knot 14 Blackwall Hitch 16 Blood Knot 18Boa Knot 20 Bowline 21Bowstring Knot 22Brummel Eye Splice 24 Buntline Hitch 26Carrick Bend 28 Cat’s Paw 32 Chain Sennit 34Chain Splice 36Cleat Hitch 38Clove Hitch 40 Constrictor Knot 42 Cow Hitch 43 Double Dragon 44Double Fisherman’s Bend 46 Eye Splice 50 Half Hitch 52 Handcuff Knot 54 Klemheist Knot 56 Lanyard Knot 58 Lighterman’s Hitch 60 Lover’s Knot 63 Man Harness Knot 64 Marlinspike Hitch 66Midshipman’s Hitch 68 Monkey’s Fist 70 Myrtle Hitch 74Noose 76Overhand Knot 78Prusik Knot 80Reef Knot 82 Rolling Hitch 84 Rope Ladder Knot 86 Sheepshank 88Sheet Bend 90Surgeon’s Knot 98Thief Knot 100 Threaded Figure Eight 102Timber Hitch 104Trucker’s Hitch 106Turle Knot 108 Zeppelin Bend 110