Uncle Solri's Helpful Hints for Boys and Girls #1

[robinturner]

Girls: Unless you want to climb mountains, go fishing or tie up animals (or people), the only knots you will ever need to know are a bow and a reef knot. Learn them well, and they will serve you well.
Boys: As above, though you might want to learn how to tie a tie.

Comments

[jaipur.livejournal.com]

A good square knot comes in handy on packages, and if you have any leanings toward the priesthood, a half-hitch is needed to tie the belts. ;) On the other hand, I've never heard of a reef knot...

[solri.livejournal.com]

AFAIK, a reef knot is the same as a square knot.
You have a good point about the priesthood, and there's martial arts too.

[miss-next.livejournal.com]

I have always found the clove hitch useful.

[solri.livejournal.com]

What do you use it for?

[miss-next.livejournal.com]

Anywhere I need to fasten a cord over a hook or a pole with a free end, basically. It's less bulky than a reef knot and won't slip under tension (as a reef knot sometimes can). Before I got the rotary clothes line, my old line was stretched between two hooks on opposite fences, and that was held up by clove hitches. It's especially useful to do it for the second of the two knots, because you can position it very accurately.

[solri.livejournal.com]

Well I never. I should learn this knot.

[jaipur.livejournal.com]

I think with horses we used a half-hitch too--might as well add it to the list of useful knots, for all those reasons. :)

[solri.livejournal.com]

That comes under tying up animals.