The first knot on dad's list is the square knot, AKA the reef knot. Popular and easy to tie, this is often the first knot taught in Scouting, camping groups, etc. The shoe-lace knot is considered a variant, and the first "formal" knot a lot of people learn.
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| HAND REVEAL! |
DON'T use the square knot to attach two different ropes to each other (that's what a sheet bend is for), it's not stable (especially if the ropes are different sizes, slippery, etc.) Also, be careful not to accidentally tie a granny knot, which tends to either untie itself or over tighten and jam up.
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| Bad Granny |
Basically, it's a quick and easy way to attach two ends of the same rope together. Historically, it was used to "reef" (partially roll up) sails. Today, it's occasionally used on packages and the like.
The steps for tying the knot can easily be remembered as "left over right, around and through; right over left, around and through." It's important to note that right and left "change" (which is how you avoid the granny knot). A lot of people over think this and try to remember the original left, and mess it up.
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| credit: theknotsmanual.com |
Not the most useful knot in the world, but fine for light work and easy to tie. The square knot is a 5/5 on my knowledge scale. I can tie it quickly and reliably, and won't need to practice it much for the minute challenge.
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