Personal Site of Nils T. Devine

Hi! My name is Nils, welcome to my personal website. Within this domain you will find my

• Blog,
• Photos,
• Links & Wishlists,
• Knot Tying,
• Code,
• Poetry,
• Short Prose, and
• Brautigan.

To explore my other domains open the Table of Contents at the top of the page.

Knots, Best Of

This page contains lists a subset of the knots that I know (photos of the knot book I wrote while at Hebron Academy). I have pulled together the best knots for a variety of purposes.

Most of the following links will take you to another site, Flickr.com, where I have uploaded the images. The images are not the best quality, but the instructions are fairly thorough.

The Best Knot for Setting Up a Tarp Over the Picnic Table

Adjustable Knot

This knot will hold tight while under a fair amounts of pressure, but the size of the loop can still be altered by hand without re-tying. It is a stronger knot than the very similar tautline hitch

The Best Knot for Binding / Cutting Off Circulation

Constrictor Knot

Prerequisite: Clove Hitch. The tightest binding hitch that I know. Useful for holding things together while the glue sets.

The Best Knot for Making a Strong Loop

Figure Eight Loop

The strongest loop I now. It's double-line nature means there isn't a lot of tension on a single point. It is tied on a bight, but typically near the end

The Best Knot to Tie a Line to a Fixed Object

Fisherman's Hitch

The strongest way to fasten a line to a fixed object that I know. This is the one to use to hang a swing. It is also the recommended knot to prevent a noose line from snapping (see the three points of failure in the description of a Hangman's Noose).

The Best Knot for a Fast Getaway

Highwayman's Hitch

My friend and I used to tie up our canoe like this while on Scholars In Nature trips so that we could harass people and then make a clean getaway down the river.

The Best Knot for Tying Together Lines of Different Sizes

Sheetbend

This is the best knot for tying together two different lines of two different sizes. There are several interesting variants on this knot including the quick-release Sheetbend with a Bight, the stronger Double Sheetbend (good for drastically different sized lines), and the One-Way Sheetbend (useful for wiring).

The Best Knot for Tying Something Down

Trucker's Hitch

If you've ever gone canoeing with me, or seen me strap something down to a truck, you've seen this knot in action. It's a fun full-body knot to tie. It is the *only* to tie something down. You can crank it as tight as physically possible and still un-tie it with ease when you get to your destination because it is finished off with slip knots. I recommend when you're done slipping the loose end through the loop of the slip knot, or making a slip knot chain.

The Best Knot for Tying Webbing

Water Knot

This is the best knot I know to tie two pieces of webbing (or other flat lines such as swim goggle straps) together.

The Best Knot to Tie Somebody's Wrist

Clove Hitch on a Bight

This is a knot that I came up with myself. It has a number of nice features explained in detail in the essay linked above. The illustrated instructions are at the bottom of the page.