AY Honors/Knot Tying/Answer Key

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1. Define the following terms:

It's a good idea to begin this honor with the definitions so your Pathfinders have a working vocabulary of the various terms involved. Telling them to "make a bight" or "take the standing part" makes little sense until these terms are understood.

A bight

a. Bight: The term bight refers to any curved section, slack part, or loop between the two ends of a rope,
b. Running end: The free end of the rope, usually shorter. This is the end of the rope in which a knot is being tied.
c. Standing part: The part of the rope between the Running end and the Standing end (the end that doesn't move, think of it as if someone is holding it)
d. Underhand loop: A loop formed by passing the running end of a line under the standing part.
e. Overhand loop: A loop formed by passing the running end of a line over the standing part.
f. Turn: Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Knot/Turn
g. Bend: A bend is used to tie two ropes together, as in the Sheetbend. Technically, even the Reef knot is a bend
h. Hitch: A hitch is used to tie a rope to a spar, ring or post, such as the Clove hitch. Hitches can also be used to tie one rope ONTO another rope, as in the Rolling hitch.
i. Splice: A knot formed by interweaving strands of rope rather than whole lines. More time consuming but usually stronger than simple knots.
j. Whipping: A binding knot used to prevent another line from fray.

2. Know how to care for rope.

Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Knot/Care Of Rope

3. Describe the difference between laid rope and braided rope and list three uses of each.

In laid rope, three bundles of fiber or twine are twisted in the same direction, placed close to each other, and allowed to twist together. In braided rope, the fibers are woven together, often around some core material.

Uses of Laid Rope

Repels water
Able to withstand immense strain.
Can be spliced with standard techniques.

Uses of Braided Rope

Works well with pulleys and rigging.
Spinning (lariats and lassos).
Decorative knots.

4. Identify the following types of rope:

a. Manila: Manila is a type of fiber obtained from the leaves of the abacá (Musa textilis), a relative of the banana. It is mostly used to make ropes and it is one of the most durable of the natural fibers, besides true hemp. Manila is a coarse, brown fiber, about the same color and feel as a coconut shell.
b. Sisal: Sisal is valued for cordage use because of its strength, durability, ability to stretch, affinity for certain dyestuffs, and resistance to deterioration in saltwater. Sisal ropes and twines are widely employed for marine, agricultural (bailing twine), and general industrial use. Sisal fibers are smooth, straight and yellow and can be long or short.
c. Nylon: Nylon rope is often white, but any color is possible. It has a smooth, silky feeling to it, and it coils easily. Nylon rope does not float in water. It is a synthetic-fiber rope.
d. Polypropylene: Polypropylene rope is most often yellow, though any color is possible. It is often used in marine applications because it floats in water. The rope is sometimes difficult to tie as it is somewhat stiff and brittle. It is a synthetic-fiber rope.

The easiest way to make an initial identification of a rope is to visit a hardware store where rope is sold. The packaging will tell you what the rope is made of. If you want to be sure, buy some of each type (with the labeling) or examine it closely in the store.

5. What are some advantages and disadvantages of synthetic rope?

Advantages

Improved abrasion-resistance
Better UV-resistance
Lighter
Length does not vary as much when wet
Rot-resistant

Disadvantages

Some synthetics do not hold knots well
More slippery
Melts when heated
Stretches more than natural ropes.

6. Do the following to rope:

a. Splice

A splice is used to join the ends of two ropes and results in the spliced part being about twice as thick as the non spliced part. The short splice retains more of the rope strength than any knots that join rope ends. It is tied using the same techniques as the eye splice (see below).

Short splice animated

b. Eye splice

Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Knot/Eye splice

c. Back splice

A back splice (also called an end splice) is a splice where the strands of the end of the rope are spliced directly back into the end without forming a loop. It is used to finish off the end of the rope to keep it from fraying. The end of the rope with the splice is about twice the thickness of the rest of the rope. Begin by unraveling the strands, and tie a crown knot. Then begin splicing the rope onto itself as with the short splice.

d. Finish the end of a rope with a double crown, whipping, or a Matthew Walker's knot.

Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Knot/Double crown

Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Knot/Whipping

Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Knot/Matthew Walker

7. Make a six-foot piece of three-strand twisted rope from native materials or twine.

Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Knots/Making rope

8. From memory tie at least 20 of the following knots and know their common uses and limitations. Demonstrate how they are used.

References

List of Knots on Wikipedia

"Why Knot? an introduction to knots, splices & rope" DVD and rope available through AdventSource.org. Every requirement is completely covered by this resource.

AY Honors/Knot Tying/Answer Key

1. Define the following terms:

2. Know how to care for rope.

3. Describe the difference between laid rope and braided rope and list three uses of each.

Uses of Laid Rope

Uses of Braided Rope

4. Identify the following types of rope:

5. What are some advantages and disadvantages of synthetic rope?

Advantages

Disadvantages

6. Do the following to rope:

a. Splice

b. Eye splice

c. Back splice

d. Finish the end of a rope with a double crown, whipping, or a Matthew Walker's knot.

7. Make a six-foot piece of three-strand twisted rope from native materials or twine.

8. From memory tie at least 20 of the following knots and know their common uses and limitations. Demonstrate how they are used.

Anchor bend

Bowline

Bowline on a bight

Butterfly loop knot or Alpine butterfly knot

Carrick bend

Cat's paw

Clove hitch

Constrictor knot

Crown knot

Double bow

Double sheet bend

Figure eight

Fisherman's bend

Fisherman's loop

Halter hitch

Hunter's bend

Lariat or Bowstring knot

Lark's head

Man harness knot

Miller's knot

Packer's knot

Pipe hitch

Prusik knot

Sheepshank

Sheet bend

Slip knot

Slipped half hitch

Slipped sheet bend

Square knot

Stevedore's knot

Strangle knot

Surgeon's knot

Taut-line hitch

Timber hitch

Two half hitches

References