Knotting and Netting
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Knotting and Netting - Leslie Woollard
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTORY
Introductory: History—language of knotting—the materials—how ropes are made—care of rope—strength of knots and ropes—tools and equipment—general.
History
THE Craft of knotting emerged in the misty days of pre-history. No-one knows quite when, but it is not difficult to imagine primeval man, constantly baffled, tied up and impeded by the ‘knots’ and ‘nets’ naturally made by creepers and vines, one day realising that he could himself use such things to his advantage.
Knotting was evolved as an aid of self-preservation. It helped man to catch and hold food, to protect himself, to build his home and to help rescue others. The ability to tie knots of the right kind became a necessity of life. To many primitive races it still is.
As man evolved it was only natural that the practical craft should also be practised as a decorative craft and cord knotting is one of the really old folk crafts of most nations. Homer, recounts the ancient Greek legend of that most famous of knots, the Gordian Knot, and how Gordias hung his plough traces in the temple tying one of them with a complex knot, and prophesying that whoever unloosed it should become Emperor of Asia. Alexander the G eat, like many others, legend says, failed in his attempt to untire it but he cut it with his sword and lived to fulfill the prophecy.
As crafts divided into specialised groups, each tended to produce varieties of knots specially suited to their needs. These were passed on from father to son, and similar knots (applied by different craftsmen) are thus often known by other names.
In the days of the great sailing ships knotting flourished apace, and new knots were devised to serve particular purposes, for there were several miles of rigging in the old four-masters. At the same time, sailors, with much time and rope on their hands, ‘doodled’ their way into becoming masters of both practical and decorative knotwork, and old sailors are still the acknowledged pastmasters.
The Industrial Revolution introduced mechanisation and compulsory education introduced new desires to the great majority. The incomparable value (moral and psychological) of creative craft-work was forgotten. Understandably (and, with the evolution of the steamer) knotting became a dying art, and it is only in comparatively recent years that its immense importance has been appreciated.
The word ‘knot’ (like most words of everyday necessity) comes from the Old English ‘cnotta’ meaning ‘to join’. The current German word for knot, incidentally, is ‘Knoten’ and, when given a suffix, means a junction or union of ends.
To those of us whose main concern is only in the tying of a bow, tie, shoe-lace or parcelling, it may seem incredible that there are nearly 4,000 types or varieties of knotwork. Hundreds of them are not, of course, in common use. Nevertheless, they play a vitally important part in a wide field of occupations including sailing, farming, building, camping and climbing, netmaking, weaving, fishing, fireman and civil defence work, dress making, entertainments (particularly the circus), basket-making, medical services, transport, etc. The security of many lives may depend on the careful and accurate tying of a knot.
The Language of Knotting—Definitions
The dictionary defines a knot as an ‘intertwining of parts of one or more ropes or string to fasten them together’, so that, strictly speaking, the snarls of unintended origin should not be called ‘knots’. To the expert, a knot falls into one of four classifications: it is either a hitch, a bend, a splice or a knot.
1. Hitch—A hitch is a temporary knot used for tying the rope to a mast, rail, ring or similar object. If the object is removed the hitch will fall loose.
2. Bend—A bend is a knot that fastens two ropes together. One rope is ‘bent to another’.
3. Splice—Two ends are joined by interweaving their strands to make a splice.
4. Knot—A knot usually means a knob or stopper knot tied in the end of a rope to prevent it unreeving, or the lanyard type (which is tied in the bight).
Running End—The Running or Working End (in which the knot is usually tied) is the end opposed to the Standing Part. Standing Part—The Standing Part is usually the fixed length or one which is not convenient for working.
Bight (i)—The Bight is the part of the rope between the Running End and the Standing Part.
Bight (ii)—The word Bight (coming from the old word ‘to bow’) is also applied, quite correctly, to a wide-mouthed Loop.
Loop—An Open Loop is similar to a bight but the mouth is narrower. A Closed Loop has the ends brought together (but not crossed). When the ends are crossed, it is said to have ‘taken a turn’.
A Round Turn—When the rope is taken completely round a spar or other object. This has the effect of two turns.
Whipping—Whipping is binding a rope’s end with cord to prevent it becoming unravelled.
Sennet—A Sennet is braided cord made up decoratively in flat, round or square form.
The Materials
Although knots can be tied in almost any kind of sufficiently flexible material, this book refers mainly to their application in rope or cord. Rope is, properly speaking, anything over an inch in diameter and is made of twisted vegetable fibre, such as hemp, manila, cotton, sisal or coir.
Hemp is strong and good for rough, heavy work.
Manila is made from plantain leaves and quite expensive. It is the best rope for practising knotwork.
Cotton is much easier to handle and gives a good appearance, but is not so strong as the foregoing. Macrame cord is usually a cotton cord and is an ideal medium for much of the square and decorative knotting described in this book and also for netting.
Sisal, made from aloe leaves, is strong and salt resistant.
Coir, sometimes called coconut string, is made from the fibre of the coconut husk. It is loosely wound, light, and not over-strong. It is cheap, however, and readily obtainable.
‘Macrame is from an Arabic word which really means a ‘fringe’ or ‘trimming’, but by common usage is applied to a particular type of twine or cord which can be obtained made with various numbers of strands.
In addition to the rope material there is a wide variety of twines and cords and strong braided silks, which can all be used to excellent effect in decorative knotwork.
How Ropes are made
Ropes and strings are made by a number of the vegetable fibres being twisted together into a Yarn (sometimes called thread). The yarns are twisted right-handed. Two or more yarns are twisted together (left-handed) to form a Strand. Three or more strands are twisted together (right-handed) to form a Rope (plain-laid rope).
Laid ropes are of three general groups:
Hawser laid. Usually three strands laid right-handed making a rope five inches