List of Scouting Knots
How to Tie Scouting Knots | Scouting Knots
Adjustable Grip Hitch: The Adjustable Grip Hitch is often used in camping to tension a rope used, for example, as a ridgeline or a guy line.
Midshipman's Hitch : The Midshipman's (Taut Line) Hitch is an adjustable loop and can be used for tying Spring Lines.
Alpine Butterfly or Linesman's Loop: The Alpine Butterfly provides a secure loop in the middle of a piece of rope. Strain can be applied from the loop to either end or between the two ends.
Back Splice: The Back Splice provides a quick and convenient way of preventing the end of a three strand rope fraying. A crown knot is formed on the end of the rope and the strands are spliced back into the standing end of the rope.
Barrel Hitch The Barrel Hitch provides a secure method of lifting of barrels, buckets and other containers.
Sheet Bend (Becket Bend): The Sheet Bend joins two ropes of unequal size but also works well if the ropes are of the same size. It has to be tied with both ends loose in your hands with no load on the ropes.
Sheepshank: The Sheepshank is a knot which can be used to shorten a length of rope. It is not reliable when tied in some modern ropes and is only included here as Scouts are still sometimes expected to learn how to tie it.
The Bowline: The Bowline makes a secure loop in the end of a piece of rope. It can be used to secure a line to a ring or post. When there is no strain it can easily be undone.
Coil Unattached Rope: How to coil an unattached rope in your hands and make a secure bundle which preserves the coil neatly.
Cleat Hitch (Halyard): The Cleat Hitch attaches a halyard to a cleat.
Rolling (Taut Line) Hitch: The Rolling Hitch secures a rope to another parallel rope. It is one of the few knots which can be tied and untied while there is a load and can be adjusted without it being untied. It can take the load while a rope is transferred or secured elsewhere.
Clove Hitch (End): The Clove Hitch can be made by passing the end round a bar. Made this way it is useful for attaching boat fenders or adjusting stage scenery. It is tied off after adjustment.
Common Whipping: This simple whipping technique can be done quickly. During the whipping a loop is incorporated which is used to pull the final turn into the whipping.
Constrictor: The Constrictor Knot consists of a simple Half Hitch which is gripped by an overlying turn of the rope. This is what binds the knot and makes it hard to undo. This page also links to two other pages which demonstrate alternative ways tie this knot.
Diagonal Lashing: A Diagonal Lashing is used for securing diagonal braces to hold a structure rigid.
Double Fisherman's or Grapevine Bend: The Double Fisherman's provides a secure method for joining two ropes of similar size. The knot is relatively compact and therefore better than some alternatives when retrieving a climbing rope.
Double Overhand Knot: The Double Overhand Knot makes a reliable stopper knot. It forms the basis for other knots such as the Double Fisherman's Bend.
Square Knot (Reef): The Square, or Reef, Knot joins equal sized ropes, e.g., sail covers or a parcel. Never use it for human or other critical loads - it may spill into two Half Hitches and then slip. It is frequently tied wrongly as a "Granny Knot."
Eye Splice: In three-stranded rope, the Eye Splice creates a secure loop in the end of the rope. It may used, for example, to secure a rope to the bow of a dinghy, or a rope to a bucket handle.
Farrimond Friction Hitch: The Farrimond Friction Hitch provides a quick method of rigging an adjustable tent ridge line.
Figure 8: The Figure 8 is a stopper knot - it prevents the end of a rope sliding through a pulley or it can be used to add security to another knot. It is relatively easy to undo, is preferred to the Overhand Knot, but is not as secure as the Double Overhand.
Half Hitch: The Half Hitch is tied round an object and back to itself. Not secure alone, it is usually followed by second Half Hitch.
Trucker's Hitch (Lorry, Haymaker's, Harvester's): The Trucker's Hitch is used to secure a load or a tarpaulin down to a hook or other fixed point. It provides a three to one purchase which makes it easier to tighten the rope and reduces the strain on the final knot.
Round Lashing: A Round Lashing is used to bind adjacent poles together.
Shear Lashing: A Shear Lashing is used to hold two poles together at one end so that the other ends can be spread apart to act as shear legs.
Square Lashing: A Square Lashing is used to hold two poles at a 90-degree angle to one another.
Tripod Lashing: A Tripod Lashing is used to join three poles to one another for use as a tripod.
Marlinspike Hitch: The Marlinspike Hitch employs a stick or a spike to make a knot in a rope .
Round Turn and Two Half Hitches: An excellent knot for securing a rope to a post or ring. The initial turns take the load, e.g., of a mooring line during docking. While one hand holds the strain, the knot is then tied with the other.
Sailmaker's Whipping: The Sailmaker's Whipping is the standard against which other whippings are compared: elegant and secure, the binding turns encircle the whipping to prevent the strands from unwinding if damaged.
Timber Hitch: The Timber Hitch provides a strong temporary attachment to cargo or to a log or spar and can be used to tow a log or spar either afloat or on land. A great merit is that when the load is released, the knot almost falls undone.
Scouting Knots
SelectionThese animated knots are described for scouts, but most of them have critical uses in other environments. The selection of knots is based on consultation with many scouting leaders and a review of the requirements by some national organizations.
Choices
Rather than show the Fisherman's Knot the Double Fisherman's is used because it is safer and more widely used. The Fisherman's can easily be created by substituting Overhand Knots for the Double Overhand Knots. The Sheepshank is included reluctantly for reasons explained on its page. I make no apology for also including the Constrictor and Alpine Butterfly. They are both useful and more valuable than the Sheepshank.
Optional Knots
Some additional knots which have been listed for teaching to scouts are described elsewhere on this website: the Water Knot, the Bowline on a Bight, the Carrick Bend, and the Sailmaker's Whipping. The Tautline Hitch is regarded as a variation of the Rolling Hitch. The Double Sheet Bend is pictured on the Sheet Bend Page. The Pipe Hitch is not described as several knots appear to share this name, one of which is the same as the Klemheist. The Masthead or Jury Knot is not described here as it appears to have limited use but you can find how to make it on the page about the Masthead Knot Mat in the decorative section. So far at least, the Cat's paw, Draw Hitch, and Honda are not included.
Make a selection from the images above.