Easy way to remember the bowline: "The rabbit comes out of the hole, runs around the tree, and goes back in the hole." It hasn't failed me in over 60 years.
People can quibble about what to call certain knots or precisely how to achieve them, but no one deny you are one hell of a natural teacher. Awesome job teaching these. Thank You!!
When demonstrating and teaching how to tie knots, it is very helpful for the student observer if the rope halves are different colors. With a length of rope, use magic markers to color one half of the length of the rope a contrasting color. Now, the twisted anatomy of a knot is easy to see. That makes it easier for learners to understand and learn. Try it; you’ll see. Courtesy of Half Vast Flying
The Bowline knot was originally used on ships. They tie this knot at the end of their mooring line that were on the "Bow" of the boat, as opposed to "Stern". That line is called the Bow Line. So the actual original verbiage would have been: "Bow" (like bowing before a king, or like the Japanese do) and "line" (like a fishing line, or clothesline). The pronunciation of Bowline has been shortened over the years, so whatever version you want to use nowadays, go for it. Personally I pronounce it like Bo-lynn :) They used the bow line, with a bowline knot at the tip, to throw to the dock as they were coming in to port. The guy on the dock would throw the loop over a cleat, then that cleat and line would stop the boat's forward progress...therefore that line gets a LOT of tension on it, and the knot tightens immensely. They needed a knot that they would still be able to untie after such immense pressure, so they could either retie it for a different sized cleat, or to use that line for other things if/when needed. That is what the Bowline knot is best known for - being a secure knot that you can always untie after use.
I am going to be "That guy". Your post made me look up the etymology of the Bowline. And this is what I found. The bowline's name has an earlier meaning, dating to the age of sail. On a square-rigged ship, a bowline (sometimes spelled as two words, bow line) is a rope that holds the edge of a square sail towards the bow of the ship and into the wind, preventing it from being taken aback. A ship is said to be on a "taut bowline" when these lines are made as taut as possible in order to sail close-hauled to the wind. And I need to point out that if someone threw only a bow dock-line to someone on the dock and they threw it around the dock cleat with the boat having any forward motion, that would kick the stern out dramatically and make docking nearly impossible. Or at least, really ugly. A decent helmsman can put the boat on the dock so you can step off without any speed-on and so it's safe and controlled. Depending on windage and current, of course. Sorry not trying to be a jerk, but I come by it honestly. . . . :)
@@oftenlucid interesting. I have heard the sail one before, but I was under the impression the mooring line usage came in first. I will admit I did not study this, just repeating what my captain told us. I’m not married to any idea, so I don’t argue on things I’m not 100% on. Perhaps you are right.
@@Adam.Rushing : Well, fun facts, if you like nautical phrases. Look up the etymology of these idioms: Taken aback By and Large Above Board The cut of your Jib Keel Over 3 sheets into the wind. Tide you over
Captain Quint in Jaws had an easy mnemonic for how to tie the Bowline knot. Once you twist the small loop, “The little eel goes in the hole, around the stump, and out the hole.” That”s it. Simple as it gets.
Nice vid! ...Can't help but remember the Far Side with the guy who just fell through the hangman's door and one executioner telling the other one: "...so...the rabbit goes around the tree four times, and then into the hole..."
Dan, you are a master teacher. I thought, "14 minutes on 3 knots?" Well, now I know how to tie those 3 knots after spending hours watching other videos. Thank you!!
The Truckee Hitch ties just as tight as your Trucker’s Hitch, but it saves you from having to throw all of your End Line through the loops. Untying the Trukee (Truckie?) Hitch is super quick and easy, no long End rope to pull through the other loops. Try it, you’ll love this version.
Recently learned the bowline, Improved my truckers knot because of your videos am now practicing that lash. Great job explaining and demonstrating. Thank you
for the truckers hitch, you could also put a bite of rope through the bowline, and secure it with a toggle. It makes a really easy quick-release, and saves you having to pull the whole rope through
Thank you sir! I watched and practiced the trucker hitch probably 50 times before I went out for a 3 day hike. Only had to hang the tarp once but I remembered all the key phrases you used and was able to set up camp like a pro!
When tying the truckers hitch, pass the working end through the tensioning loop twice rather than just once. Now when you pull it tight, the doubled line will lock allowing you to keep your tension while tying off the hitch. When releasing knot, just pass the line back through the tension loop once and pull hard. This will release it allowing for easy untying.
Well done. Extremely clear demonstrations. When you started, I figured the half-hitch would definitely be one of the knots you were going to mention. In fact, I'd argue that the half-hitch is more important than the straight-lash. The straight lash is great for many things, including wrapping a knife handle. However, I use the half-hitch infinitely more often than the straight-lash. You kind of even proved my point. You actually demonstrated 4 useful knots, not 3. The knot you used to tie off the trucker's hitch is a half-hitch. Technically, it's a "slipped half-hitch". Regardless, nicely done!
Thanks for the vid. Been in the marine industry for over fifty years and I totally agree that these three are the ones to know and will cover almost any situation.
There are so many knot videos on RUclips, but this one offers such clear instruction (both verbally and that fact you can actually see what he's doing) and real-world examples that are demonstrated. I feel like anything Mr. Wowak does is golden. Thanks!
I'm going to go to practice. Your memory aides of "comfortable/uncomfortable, Thumbs Up, ...." are really helpful for a person like me. My head swims when most people show me how to tie knots. You made me comfortable. Thank You!
Thanks Dan. I've been going through life doing square knots which serve me well for most things. Your explanations are far better than trying to decipher a knot book. I get lost. Particularly useful right now is the bowline. Daily, I'm tying up tomato plants using square knots. Yes, it works. Yes, it's easy. But it's really annoying knowing that as you tie a knot, there's a better knot for the purpose.
I grew up in the oilfield in South Louisiana and my first real job was working offshore as a Roughneck and we had to learn several knots as part of our job . We called it a bolin knot and what ya’l call a clove hitch we called a double half hitch another one was called a cats claw with those three knots you could safely lift pull drag anything no matter the shape of the object. Also not only did we have to splice ropes together but had to learn how to splice steel cables too. That was tough to do. Try it some time . I enjoy your videos keep up your good work .
@@taralyman4442 Well yea guess could say interesting but at the time it seem like an adventure saw a lot of interesting things like a submarine go by the rig , hammerhead sharks porpoise’s is playing bat mitten with flying fish barracudas and the most cool thing I saw was a giant manta ray that was so cool and saw several saw jelly fish and man of war would float by , the hundreds waterspouts and they hit the rig sometimes flying out to and back on helicopters was a lot of fun if you like that sort of thing but some didn’t I never liked riding the boat to and from took to long and when the water was rough seeing and smelling people puke their guts up was not nice but the work was very hard and very dangerous as hell there were many other things but would take me way to long to list them all all that was a long time ago now definitely the kind of work best suited for when you are young and I am way to old now to do it now but sure would love to fly in a helicopter again it did pay good money though I worked on land rigs too and I liked them better if you ever get a chance to try it go for it will be a grate adventure
Your explanation and actually showing the moves you are making in a slow non confusing way ,is one of the easiest to follow! I have watched hundreds ,probably over a thousand knot videos and yours is the easiest to understand. I need to really understand something to get it ! You are a good teacher !
THANK YOU, Dan! I've always been awful at learning knots, including learning to tie my shoes when I was a little kid. My mind just doesn't want to work that way. However, you went nice and slow and gave amazingly clear explanations. I will always remember a trucker's hitch as "uncomfortable, thumbs up, make a 4." The instructions for all the knots make perfect sense to me, the way you explain them. I am so thrilled to learn these new skills!
I may be in the minority, but I think the butterfly knot is a serious contender for top 3.useful for climbing, hitching, general hanging at camps... The fact that it's a permanent/temporary knot makes it a super - knot in my opinion. Change my mind.
I find it interesting the difference of names for knots from different countries. I am from Australia 1./. the bowline you presented I know this as a sailors bowline, as it will come apart easy on wet rope. grew up using hemp / manilla rope, a variation of the bowline is the cowboys bowline , ( i think it could be called a Dutch bowline) where the running end comes out side of the loop not inside . 2/ what you call a lashing I call wipping to stop fraying of the end of a rope. A lashing is used to tie two items IE; logs or spars together or in construction of frames made of wood with rope. 3/ the truckers knot l grew up with is nothing like the one you use. I would tie off the standing end with a clove hitch. the running end would be passed around an object and brought back along the standing rope. lay the running end across the standing end rope, take the standing end rope and make a byte or loop with the running end through it. make a half hitch in the standing end rope and pass the end of the byte / loop through it, can be made safer by putting an extra twist in the loop of the half hitch or adding a second half hitch before putting the loop of the running end through them. tighten half hitches , then pull the running end rope to pull up a as a pulley, for more machinical advantage just create another pulley as above. finish off with a couple of half hitch or tie off to the pole with a clove hitch. it is like a sheet shank for shorting a rope only using half of it to create the pully loop. it would be good to hear what you think of the above.
I was a commercial fisherman for 6 years. We used bowlines all the time, usually with nylon rope. Needless to say, those knots got wet all the time. I never had one slip. However, they do need to be under tension. I do like the idea of using a clove hitch on the knot-side anchor point of a large diameter thing like a tree. That will help keep the line from slipping down the tree.
Thanks Dan. Picking only 3, I always taught: bowline knot, clove hitch, and taut-line hitch, but I will definitely add trucker's hitch (and simply continue to say/fib, "Here are the 3 most important to know.") Incidentally, I stopped whipping ends after I learned to back- and eye-splice. Splicing is way, easier than the trucker's hitch btw.
An excellent choice if you’re only learning three. The taut line hitch is way underappreciated and is the single knot that I’ve tied the most in my life.
The truckers hitch is my all time favorite knot. I actually am a truck driver and I use this knot more than any other! Great for securing loads and you can cinch it down so tight! Some people don't have the finger strength to adequately pinch the line, so if you simply feed the line through the loop one more time first, it will be easier to pinch it off, and it also can have sort of a ratcheting effect and will hold itself as you regrip to pull it even tighter. A modified truckers hitch.
Unfortunately, the trucker's hitch is not as common as it used to be thanks to webbing and metal hitches. It's a shame. It's such a beautiful knot and when all you have is rope and no webbing, it's a very handy knot for load tie down.
@@drzman6901 Yes it is unfortunate people don't know how to tie this knot anymore. Usually, those same people throwing J-hook metal hitch webbing over loads usually have a knife and will cut that trucker's hitch because they don't know what it is or how easy it is to untie.
Five o'clock in the morning, having my first coffee, and learning how to tie a trucker's hitch. A purely random pick on RUclips, but a really, really useful video! I knew all these bushcraft things as a kid at boy's camp, but I've lost almost all of it. It's time to re-educate myself!
Good little video lesson. After serving both as a Nordic (cross country) Ski Patroller and as a crew member on the US Brig Niagara tall ship I've learned a LOT of knots and used them for work and rescue. ("The cut end" is called the bight.) As a Boy Scout in the late '50s I earned the "Pioneering" (lashing) merit badge. I can do 5 types of lashings. My Coast Guard father taught me rope end whipping and splicing.
I saw the Bow Line know on the history channel, it dates back to early sail ships, it was given its name by sailors, a bowline (sometimes spelled as two words, bow line) is a rope that holds the edge of a square sail towards the bow of the ship and into the wind, preventing it from being taken aback.
Great tutorial, when tying off a trailer etc with a really long rope try this: instead of passing the whole rope through to flock off try passing another loop through then tie off using the loop, Then continue to lash down the whole load with more hitches as you go. This makes it much easier to handle a long rope and super quick to undo. 👍🏻
This guy reminds me of my Dad - knowledgeable and good with knots, which totally captured my attention. So I appreciate this guy and his expertise for the refresher course I just took. Thanks !
I like the ‘uncomfortable to comfortable’ and the ‘figure 4’ cues as a way to remember how to tie this knot. I’ve liked it since I first saw it on Corporal’s Corner, but when I needed to remember how it was tied, I’d always mess up. Thanks! I’m practicing it right now and successfully tied it! First time ever. I’m farming now, so I must learn the essential knots. I’m working on the Miller’s knot as well as the Prusik. Hope to expand my knowledge after I get these down pat.
Thank you! Your pedagogical show of the truckers hitch was superb! I will use it for myself to learn it properly. I always do the last step after pulling the rope wrong. And I can use this to show my scouts when we start up again is the autumn. Thank you!
You speak clearly and slowly enough to understand and give everyday life examples...I feel like I owe you money. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge! :)
Dan, I have watched many of your videos here and over on your CCB channel and I always thought you are certainly a great teacher. This particular teaching launches you into the realm of magnificence. The step by step spoken and visual details as well as the easy to understand analogies make this an incredible video teaching. Hope all is well with you out there in the lower Poconos.
The best part of the truckers hitch is... It all just pulls apart when you need it to. No fighting knots. I just learned it recently, and I practice it at work in my spare time.
It's always been called "whipping" a rope end or "whip end." I have taught this in scouts for 48 years. Although, lashing is associated with all kinds of rope work, straight lash was never part of the lexicon for securing the end of a frayed rope. I would go along with calling it a straight lash when using it to repair or add a grip to a walking stick. All of that being said, regardless of what you want to call these knots, they are all handy and important to know if you should ever have the need. Be Prepared.
@@freelyfarmexploits8854 Navy myself. Nobody ever said go lash the end of a rope. It was always, "Whip the end of that rope!" Lashing always implied fastening something together. If someone told me to straight lash a rope, I would have asked, "What am I lashing?"
@@scottburkhart6953 This is why there are different terms. I too have taught knot tying for Scouts (and other groups) for over 20 years, and there is one thing I know would say for most certain: Use the right terms for the right thing so you do the right job. That said, this is still a good video.
" I learned this one 65 years ago. Chuckle .. Never forgot the the words. " Make the loop, call it the lake. A fish jumps out of the lake, behind the tree and back into the pool" "The fisherman pulls the line hoping to catch the fish but gets a great loop that doesn't slip instead"
Thank you for the videos… I’m a “traveler” as well as native and Appalachia and I’m living in the woods at the moment and you are teaching me shit I should’ve learned when I was a child Thank you
You should follow-up with the one-handed bowline. Tied around your waste as you brace yourself on the edge of a cliff or a tree, hanging on to the line with your left hand while tying the knot around your waist with the right hand.. We learned it in Boy Scouts back in the 70's. I was a pro at it. Knot tying is one of those things you never forget.
Mr. Wowak - I'm a big fan of the UCO brand products. I've got their candle lantern line up, I'm considering getting their tealight candle lantern for mine and my wife's picnic basket we keep in the car for road trips. Anyway - thank you for your videos, you've helped me stay well entertained during all of my time spent in VA Hospitals over the years. I can't thank you enough for all I've learned and the chuckles here and there. Now that I'm almost done with physical therapy, I'm gearing up to hit the brush again so I'm back to watching your channel to brush up on stuff. Keep goin and stay safe out there. Thanks again.
I recently started hunting using the double rope technique, using a Blake’s hitch as a friction knot to climb a tree. It’s wild how many applications I’ve found for it now that I know how to tie it. I feel like a prusik knot is also essential to know
OMG!!!! Finally, someone who can show a Bowline knot easily! It's the easiest knot, but hardest one to figure out when everyone assumes you know which hole to end it with and blows through that part quickly. Thank you for going pre-school speed. Your the best!
I learned this "whipping a rope" while in the Boy Scouts in 1960. The bowline was a knot to save your life and use 1 hand while holding the long end and weight of your body.
Nicely done, I love using rope for my needs. Bowline knot with a truckers hitch is my go to when in need. Been using this combo since the 70’s. Thanks Dan for passing it on!
Great demonstration! Awesome trick I learned to avoid having to hold tension in the trucker's hitch loop: run the working end of the rope one additional time around and through the fixed loop. Then as you pull, it will hold tension for you so you can tie it off.
I learned the bowline when I was about 8 as a "one handed bowline" and have taught it to many others over the last 65 years. For tying around logs or trees I rather prefer the timber hitch because of its simplicity and strength. I have never needed or used the straight lash, and I tend to use a butterfly knot as the loop on my trucker's hitch. Perhaps my favorite knot, which I learned in 1980 and have been teaching since then, is the Zeppelin Knot.
I wish when I was in School we had cool teachers like yourself. Great Job, I feel nottie. I know bad punn. Thank you so much. I can now tie a BOWLINE KNOT.
Excellent instruction - especially the Truckers' Hitch; that one is the handy one for the truck owner trying to get a garage-sale find home in one piece - or to tie-down a load of old, never-used garage sale finds - to the thrift store for donation - or to the landfill.
Thank you. Your tone and over all demeanor help. You really seem encouraging. The way you taught the bow line on a flat surface really helped me. Everyone teaches it suspended in the air and your mind loses the simplicity. Thank you
![The 10 BEST Knots in Life [For VISUAL Learners]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/5lLPAHK_k6I/mqdefault.jpg)
This dude is a great teacher.
Easy way to remember the bowline: "The rabbit comes out of the hole, runs around the tree, and goes back in the hole." It hasn't failed me in over 60 years.
THE best, clearest knot demonstration I’ve ever seen!! Thanks for your no nonsense, methodical knot tying lesson.
Check out Corporal's Corner. Has awesome video on few knots and his video is awesome to. I watch these fellas all the time.
Lol
You have been learning from the wrong people
Way of explain is very good, Jesus may bless and give you good health.thankyou.
People can quibble about what to call certain knots or precisely how to achieve them, but no one deny you are one hell of a natural teacher. Awesome job teaching these. Thank You!!
When demonstrating and teaching how to tie knots, it is very helpful for the student observer if the rope halves are different colors. With a length of rope, use magic markers to color one half of the length of the rope a contrasting color. Now, the twisted anatomy of a knot is easy to see. That makes it easier for learners to understand and learn. Try it; you’ll see.
Courtesy of Half Vast Flying
The Bowline knot was originally used on ships. They tie this knot at the end of their mooring line that were on the "Bow" of the boat, as opposed to "Stern". That line is called the Bow Line. So the actual original verbiage would have been: "Bow" (like bowing before a king, or like the Japanese do) and "line" (like a fishing line, or clothesline). The pronunciation of Bowline has been shortened over the years, so whatever version you want to use nowadays, go for it. Personally I pronounce it like Bo-lynn :)
They used the bow line, with a bowline knot at the tip, to throw to the dock as they were coming in to port. The guy on the dock would throw the loop over a cleat, then that cleat and line would stop the boat's forward progress...therefore that line gets a LOT of tension on it, and the knot tightens immensely. They needed a knot that they would still be able to untie after such immense pressure, so they could either retie it for a different sized cleat, or to use that line for other things if/when needed. That is what the Bowline knot is best known for - being a secure knot that you can always untie after use.
I am going to be "That guy".
Your post made me look up the etymology of the Bowline. And this is what I found.
The bowline's name has an earlier meaning, dating to the age of sail. On a square-rigged ship, a bowline (sometimes spelled as two words, bow line) is a rope that holds the edge of a square sail towards the bow of the ship and into the wind, preventing it from being taken aback. A ship is said to be on a "taut bowline" when these lines are made as taut as possible in order to sail close-hauled to the wind.
And I need to point out that if someone threw only a bow dock-line to someone on the dock and they threw it around the dock cleat with the boat having any forward motion, that would kick the stern out dramatically and make docking nearly impossible. Or at least, really ugly. A decent helmsman can put the boat on the dock so you can step off without any speed-on and so it's safe and controlled. Depending on windage and current, of course.
Sorry not trying to be a jerk, but I come by it honestly. . . . :)
@@oftenlucid interesting. I have heard the sail one before, but I was under the impression the mooring line usage came in first. I will admit I did not study this, just repeating what my captain told us.
I’m not married to any idea, so I don’t argue on things I’m not 100% on. Perhaps you are right.
@@Adam.Rushing : Well, fun facts, if you like nautical phrases. Look up the etymology of these idioms:
Taken aback
By and Large
Above Board
The cut of your Jib
Keel Over
3 sheets into the wind.
Tide you over
Wow.
Well said
'Bow line' shortened to 'bolyn,' in the same way that 'boatswain' is pronounced 'bosun'
Nice guide to the one handed marlin spike 👍
From uncomfortable to comfortable...now I'll never forget!😎👍👍👍
Hello from Brighton, UK.
Thank you for your super clear explanation ! Great ambassador tho. 😊
Dan is one of the greatest teachers on RUclips: passionate, knowledgeable, clear.
... and funny!
Bowline, my teachers told me "The snake comes out of the hole, goes around the tree, sees you and goes back into the hole!". 😁
Mine was 'the rabbit'
I have "learned" the bowline knot about 4 times now. I always forget and have to relearn. This is by far the easiest to see and understand. Thanks.
Captain Quint in Jaws had an easy mnemonic for how to tie the Bowline knot. Once you twist the small loop, “The little eel goes in the hole, around the stump, and out the hole.” That”s it. Simple as it gets.
Nice vid! ...Can't help but remember the Far Side with the guy who just fell through the hangman's door and one executioner telling the other one: "...so...the rabbit goes around the tree four times, and then into the hole..."
Dan, you are a master teacher. I thought, "14 minutes on 3 knots?" Well, now I know how to tie those 3 knots after spending hours watching other videos. Thank you!!
I actually learned something here. Watching high speed knot tying on Pinterest posts does nothing for me. This old boy done a good tutorial. :-)
@@gweedomurray9923 haha same bro
The Truckee Hitch ties just as tight as your Trucker’s Hitch, but it saves you from having to throw all of your End Line through the loops. Untying the Trukee (Truckie?) Hitch is super quick and easy, no long End rope to pull through the other loops. Try it, you’ll love this version.
Yeah much better than his version
Recently learned the bowline, Improved my truckers knot because of your videos am now practicing that lash. Great job explaining and demonstrating. Thank you
Ok
for the truckers hitch, you could also put a bite of rope through the bowline, and secure it with a toggle. It makes a really easy quick-release, and saves you having to pull the whole rope through
Thank you sir! I watched and practiced the trucker hitch probably 50 times before I went out for a 3 day hike. Only had to hang the tarp once but I remembered all the key phrases you used and was able to set up camp like a pro!
Awesome once again man! 🤘😄
"I'm a Frayed Knot!" Thanks Dan. You used a nice thick rope that is easy to see and demonstrate with.
Straight lash basically snell know for hooks. Excellent know for sure
Very good teaching techniques to help strategies place in long term memory
When tying the truckers hitch, pass the working end through the tensioning loop twice rather than just once. Now when you pull it tight, the doubled line will lock allowing you to keep your tension while tying off the hitch. When releasing knot, just pass the line back through the tension loop once and pull hard. This will release it allowing for easy untying.
Thanks for that, such a simple solution to many fights with my trucker hitches!
I recently learned about what you describe. Super useful step.
thank you Sir
Adding that second pass through the tensioning knot is a great idea and it works 👍
MultoThanks. Aber, non comprehendo.
Thank you I was trying to put new power cord around my knife lol thanks
Well done. Extremely clear demonstrations. When you started, I figured the half-hitch would definitely be one of the knots you were going to mention. In fact, I'd argue that the half-hitch is more important than the straight-lash. The straight lash is great for many things, including wrapping a knife handle. However, I use the half-hitch infinitely more often than the straight-lash. You kind of even proved my point. You actually demonstrated 4 useful knots, not 3. The knot you used to tie off the trucker's hitch is a half-hitch. Technically, it's a "slipped half-hitch". Regardless, nicely done!
I have immensely enjoyed every video that I know you have made.....aaa especially since this is the only one I've seen...great job Dan the Man.
Thanks for the vid. Been in the marine industry for over fifty years and I totally agree that these three are the ones to know and will cover almost any situation.
I think i can live now with these 3 knots. I cant remember all 100 knots i just needed these 3 for the everyday.
There are so many knot videos on RUclips, but this one offers such clear instruction (both verbally and that fact you can actually see what he's doing) and real-world examples that are demonstrated. I feel like anything Mr. Wowak does is golden. Thanks!
#2, Prevent a cord from fraying - now I finally know a sturdier and more elegant way to do this. Thank you!
-Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
I've watched a lot of knot vids and this was by far the easiest to follow. Clear, detailed but simple. Hope to see more like that
I'm going to go to practice. Your memory aides of "comfortable/uncomfortable, Thumbs Up, ...." are really helpful for a person like me. My head swims when most people show me how to tie knots. You made me comfortable. Thank You!
Thanks Dan. I've been going through life doing square knots which serve me well for most things. Your explanations are far better than trying to decipher a knot book. I get lost. Particularly useful right now is the bowline. Daily, I'm tying up tomato plants using square knots. Yes, it works. Yes, it's easy. But it's really annoying knowing that as you tie a knot, there's a better knot for the purpose.
I actually use the Trucker's Hitch all the time; I just didn't know that's what it is called; I've used it to tie stuff down all the time.
I grew up in the oilfield in South Louisiana and my first real job was working offshore as a Roughneck and we had to learn several knots as part of our job . We called it a bolin knot and what ya’l call a clove hitch we called a double half hitch another one was called a cats claw with those three knots you could safely lift pull drag anything no matter the shape of the object. Also not only did we have to splice ropes together but had to learn how to splice steel cables too. That was tough to do. Try it some time . I enjoy your videos keep up your good work .
Interesting work.
@@taralyman4442 Well yea guess could say interesting but at the time it seem like an adventure saw a lot of interesting things like a submarine go by the rig , hammerhead sharks porpoise’s is playing bat mitten with flying fish barracudas and the most cool thing I saw was a giant manta ray that was so cool and saw several saw jelly fish and man of war would float by , the hundreds waterspouts and they hit the rig sometimes flying out to and back on helicopters was a lot of fun if you like that sort of thing but some didn’t I never liked riding the boat to and from took to long and when the water was rough seeing and smelling people puke their guts up was not nice but the work was very hard and very dangerous as hell there were many other things but would take me way to long to list them all all that was a long time ago now definitely the kind of work best suited for when you are young and I am way to old now to do it now but sure would love to fly in a helicopter again it did pay good money though I worked on land rigs too and I liked them better if you ever get a chance to try it go for it will be a grate adventure
Your explanation and actually showing the moves you are making in a slow non confusing way ,is one of the easiest to follow! I have watched hundreds ,probably over a thousand knot videos and yours is the easiest to understand. I need to really understand something to get it ! You are a good teacher !
THANK YOU, Dan! I've always been awful at learning knots, including learning to tie my shoes when I was a little kid. My mind just doesn't want to work that way. However, you went nice and slow and gave amazingly clear explanations. I will always remember a trucker's hitch as "uncomfortable, thumbs up, make a 4." The instructions for all the knots make perfect sense to me, the way you explain them. I am so thrilled to learn these new skills!
See or read Bush Crafters 101
A chapter on knots
@@RM-lk1so Thanks--I'll check it out. :)
I may be in the minority, but I think the butterfly knot is a serious contender for top 3.useful for climbing, hitching, general hanging at camps... The fact that it's a permanent/temporary knot makes it a super - knot in my opinion. Change my mind.
I would pick it over the straight lash.
I find it interesting the difference of names for knots from different countries. I am from Australia
1./. the bowline you presented I know this as a sailors bowline, as it will come apart easy on wet rope. grew up using hemp / manilla rope, a variation of the bowline is the cowboys bowline , ( i think it could be called a Dutch bowline) where the running end comes out side of the loop not inside .
2/ what you call a lashing I call wipping to stop fraying of the end of a rope. A lashing is used to tie two items IE; logs or spars together or in construction of frames made of wood with rope.
3/ the truckers knot l grew up with is nothing like the one you use.
I would tie off the standing end with a clove hitch. the running end would be passed around an object and brought back along the standing rope. lay the running end across the standing end rope, take the standing end rope and make a byte or loop with the running end through it. make a half hitch in the standing end rope and pass the end of the byte / loop through it, can be made safer by putting an extra twist in the loop of the half hitch or adding a second half hitch before putting the loop of the running end through them. tighten half hitches , then pull the running end rope to pull up a as a pulley, for more machinical advantage just create another pulley as above. finish off with a couple of half hitch or tie off to the pole with a clove hitch. it is like a sheet shank for shorting a rope only using half of it to create the pully loop.
it would be good to hear what you think of the above.
I was a commercial fisherman for 6 years. We used bowlines all the time, usually with nylon rope. Needless to say, those knots got wet all the time. I never had one slip.
However, they do need to be under tension.
I do like the idea of using a clove hitch on the knot-side anchor point of a large diameter thing like a tree. That will help keep the line from slipping down the tree.
That was all very interesting and informative. Thank you both for sharing.
First time watching. Just subscribed, you rule bud.
Thanks Dan. Picking only 3, I always taught: bowline knot, clove hitch, and taut-line hitch, but I will definitely add trucker's hitch (and simply continue to say/fib, "Here are the 3 most important to know.")
Incidentally, I stopped whipping ends after I learned to back- and eye-splice. Splicing is way, easier than the trucker's hitch btw.
An excellent choice if you’re only learning three. The taut line hitch is way underappreciated and is the single knot that I’ve tied the most in my life.
After watching a dozen videos on bowline... finally this one taught me how to tie the knot.
The truckers hitch is my all time favorite knot. I actually am a truck driver and I use this knot more than any other! Great for securing loads and you can cinch it down so tight! Some people don't have the finger strength to adequately pinch the line, so if you simply feed the line through the loop one more time first, it will be easier to pinch it off, and it also can have sort of a ratcheting effect and will hold itself as you regrip to pull it even tighter. A modified truckers hitch.
*Cinch
Unfortunately, the trucker's hitch is not as common as it used to be thanks to webbing and metal hitches. It's a shame. It's such a beautiful knot and when all you have is rope and no webbing, it's a very handy knot for load tie down.
@@drzman6901 Yes it is unfortunate people don't know how to tie this knot anymore. Usually, those same people throwing J-hook metal hitch webbing over loads usually have a knife and will cut that trucker's hitch because they don't know what it is or how easy it is to untie.
In the uk drivers call it the dolly knot.
@@peterconnor9678 Good to know, thank you. 👍
Five o'clock in the morning, having my first coffee, and learning how to tie a trucker's hitch. A purely random pick on RUclips, but a really, really useful video! I knew all these bushcraft things as a kid at boy's camp, but I've lost almost all of it. It's time to re-educate myself!
Good little video lesson.
After serving both as a Nordic (cross country) Ski Patroller and as a crew member on the US Brig Niagara tall ship I've learned a LOT of knots and used them for work and rescue. ("The cut end" is called the bight.)
As a Boy Scout in the late '50s I earned the "Pioneering" (lashing) merit badge. I can do 5 types of lashings.
My Coast Guard father taught me rope end whipping and splicing.
I saw the Bow Line know on the history channel, it dates back to early sail ships, it was given its name by sailors, a bowline (sometimes spelled as two words, bow line) is a rope that holds the edge of a square sail towards the bow of the ship and into the wind, preventing it from being taken aback.
Interesting, thanks for sharing that.
Best explanation of the most essential knot. Thank you RUclips for recommending this video on knot.
Your “having fun” while teaching is a neat way to present information! Ty👍 Cant wait to get out and use those knots!!
Man I’ve come back to this vid a half dozen times and have used all three of these knots now out at the cabin. Hey UCO thanks for posting!
Great tutorial,
when tying off a trailer etc with a really long rope try this:
instead of passing the whole rope through to flock off try passing another loop through then tie off using the loop,
Then continue to lash down the whole load with more hitches as you go.
This makes it much easier to handle a long rope and super quick to undo. 👍🏻
This guy reminds me of my Dad - knowledgeable and good with knots, which totally captured my attention. So I appreciate this guy and his expertise for the refresher course I just took. Thanks !
I like the ‘uncomfortable to comfortable’ and the ‘figure 4’ cues as a way to remember how to tie this knot. I’ve liked it since I first saw it on Corporal’s Corner, but when I needed to remember how it was tied, I’d always mess up. Thanks! I’m practicing it right now and successfully tied it! First time ever. I’m farming now, so I must learn the essential knots. I’m working on the Miller’s knot as well as the Prusik. Hope to expand my knowledge after I get these down pat.
I had my dad show me the truckers hitch probobly thirty times and I still couldn't tie it, I got it now!! Excellent video my friend, well done
Thank you! Your pedagogical show of the truckers hitch was superb! I will use it for myself to learn it properly. I always do the last step after pulling the rope wrong. And I can use this to show my scouts when we start up again is the autumn. Thank you!
Never could get the hang of that knot, myself. Maybe his descriptions of each stage will help, I'll try to practice it.
You speak clearly and slowly enough to understand and give everyday life examples...I feel like I owe you money. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge! :)
Great video on knots ! Explained very well , that anyone can understand ! Thanks , Dan .
I love this
I used the trucker's hitch when I was hauling yard debris. Worked great, and was easy to untie at the recycle center.
Dan, I have watched many of your videos here and over on your CCB channel and I always thought you are certainly a great teacher. This particular teaching launches you into the realm of magnificence. The step by step spoken and visual details as well as the easy to understand analogies make this an incredible video teaching. Hope all is well with you out there in the lower Poconos.
The best part of the truckers hitch is... It all just pulls apart when you need it to. No fighting knots. I just learned it recently, and I practice it at work in my spare time.
It's always been called "whipping" a rope end or "whip end." I have taught this in scouts for 48 years. Although, lashing is associated with all kinds of rope work, straight lash was never part of the lexicon for securing the end of a frayed rope. I would go along with calling it a straight lash when using it to repair or add a grip to a walking stick. All of that being said, regardless of what you want to call these knots, they are all handy and important to know if you should ever have the need. Be Prepared.
Fisherman’s whip for the win
Yes I can concur, I'm ex navy this was always a whipping.
@@freelyfarmexploits8854 Navy myself. Nobody ever said go lash the end of a rope. It was always, "Whip the end of that rope!" Lashing always implied fastening something together. If someone told me to straight lash a rope, I would have asked, "What am I lashing?"
@@scottburkhart6953 This is why there are different terms. I too have taught knot tying for Scouts (and other groups) for over 20 years, and there is one thing I know would say for most certain: Use the right terms for the right thing so you do the right job. That said, this is still a good video.
@@williamj.bagnall4564 Well said. This is a terrific video.
Thaaannnkkk you. My uncle has tried to show me this with the rabbit hole metaphor and it's never clicked until now
" I learned this one 65 years ago. Chuckle .. Never forgot the the words. " Make the loop, call it the lake. A fish jumps out of the lake, behind the tree and back into the pool" "The fisherman pulls the line hoping to catch the fish but gets a great loop that doesn't slip instead"
I like it better than the stupid rabbit.
Thank you for the videos… I’m a “traveler” as well as native and Appalachia and I’m living in the woods at the moment and you are teaching me shit I should’ve learned when I was a child
Thank you
Great demo! You’re really good at showing how to do the knots in a way that’s easy to understand. Thank you!
You should follow-up with the one-handed bowline. Tied around your waste as you brace yourself on the edge of a cliff or a tree, hanging on to the line with your left hand while tying the knot around your waist with the right hand.. We learned it in Boy Scouts back in the 70's. I was a pro at it. Knot tying is one of those things you never forget.
I love things like this that you can practice in the comfort of your home before you go into the field.
I'm practicing at my desk right now at work (aka quietly quitting).
This is awesome! I'm officially addicted to knots... Lol thanks.
You're a great teacher! I'll be using this in my bushcraft class (for one of our homeschool groups) and practicing them all myself 😊
Dad taught me well... I knew all 3 of these!! Thanks for sharing in a very user-friendly format for those who didn't already know!
Another great video Dan! Knot!! 🤣😎
Mr. Wowak - I'm a big fan of the UCO brand products. I've got their candle lantern line up, I'm considering getting their tealight candle lantern for mine and my wife's picnic basket we keep in the car for road trips.
Anyway - thank you for your videos, you've helped me stay well entertained during all of my time spent in VA Hospitals over the years. I can't thank you enough for all I've learned and the chuckles here and there.
Now that I'm almost done with physical therapy, I'm gearing up to hit the brush again so I'm back to watching your channel to brush up on stuff.
Keep goin and stay safe out there. Thanks again.
I recently started hunting using the double rope technique, using a Blake’s hitch as a friction knot to climb a tree. It’s wild how many applications I’ve found for it now that I know how to tie it. I feel like a prusik knot is also essential to know
OMG!!!! Finally, someone who can show a Bowline knot easily! It's the easiest knot, but hardest one to figure out when everyone assumes you know which hole to end it with and blows through that part quickly. Thank you for going pre-school speed. Your the best!
Great stuff Dan. Thanks for making that fun. Yep, needed that refresher.
Best demonstration of a truckers hitch I've seen. Thanks, it's one knot I always struggle with.
i used to make fun of my dad when i was young for reading books on knots...and here i am 30 years later....
Very good knots. I tied my neck to my head and my head no longer falls off. What an improvement.
Back in the 50s we called your lash, "whip ends"
@@alexanderzerka8477 we called it a loose loop😁
I still know it as a whip.
@@paulmilsaps4476 I know it as a lash, but i know the finishing technique a whip.
@@alexanderzerka8477 used to be the Waggoners hitch
I learned this "whipping a rope" while in the Boy Scouts in 1960.
The bowline was a knot to save your life and use 1 hand while holding the long end and weight of your body.
Thanks bud. You definitely explained it and how to a lot better than most
Nicely done, I love using rope for my needs. Bowline knot with a truckers hitch is my go to when in need. Been using this combo since the 70’s. Thanks Dan for passing it on!
Great demonstration! Awesome trick I learned to avoid having to hold tension in the trucker's hitch loop: run the working end of the rope one additional time around and through the fixed loop. Then as you pull, it will hold tension for you so you can tie it off.
Bowline: The rabbit comes out of the hole, goes around the tree, and back in the hole. That's how we learned it in scouts.
I came to say the same thing, its an easy way to each kids
I memorized it while doing the rope. Thank you :)
I'm 50 and I still say this in my head when I tie it.
Great tip
I'm glad you said that. I was trying to remember it.
Dan, you are a born teacher. If I can follow your instructions and learn a skill, anyone can. Thank you.
I learned the bowline when I was about 8 as a "one handed bowline" and have taught it to many others over the last 65 years. For tying around logs or trees I rather prefer the timber hitch because of its simplicity and strength. I have never needed or used the straight lash, and I tend to use a butterfly knot as the loop on my trucker's hitch. Perhaps my favorite knot, which I learned in 1980 and have been teaching since then, is the Zeppelin Knot.
The best memorable explanation for truckers hitch. Thanx for that man.! Great job you did there with that uncomfortable story 👍🏾✋🏾🤌🏾
Rabbit comes out of the hole, runs around the tree, then goes back in the hole.
Dang dude, you are the best knot teacher ever. You go slow so that you can see what's going on, and you make it easy. Thank you!
Bowlin: “the rabbit comes out of the hole, around the tree and back down the hole” 🐇
That’s how the Army taught us to remember that knot!
I wish when I was in School we had cool teachers like yourself. Great Job, I feel nottie. I know bad punn. Thank you so much. I can now tie a BOWLINE KNOT.
Teaching my left handed 5 year old to tie his shoelace took me 7 years ,🥴
This is like magic! This should be taught in all schools!
The pronunciation of bowline depends on how knotical you are.
I agree. It's a Tomato/Tomahto type issue, really no issue at all.
Most knots, including the “boo-lin” comes from sailing.
" liked" and reported! :)
Best explanation ever! I was cool, I was uncomfortable, I was comfortable - thumbs up! THANKS
These knots are useless if you don't have anything to tie them with and I didn't get your joke.
His jokes are almost as bad as yours
Best truckers hitch demo ever!
Excellent instruction - especially the Truckers' Hitch; that one is the handy one for the truck owner trying to get a garage-sale find home in one piece - or to tie-down a load of old, never-used garage sale finds - to the thrift store for donation - or to the landfill.
Thank you. Your tone and over all demeanor help. You really seem encouraging. The way you taught the bow line on a flat surface really helped me. Everyone teaches it suspended in the air and your mind loses the simplicity. Thank you
Dan, you did a very good job teaching these knots. I think you are the only person that's ever showed me how to untie a bowline.