# I Need a Self Tightening Knot...



## TwoRails (Jan 23, 2016)

Hi All,

I need a self tightening knot. I often have a need to tie up loose items to help reduce the size and increase handling and portability. 

Things piles of twigs and branches; used plastic bags from things like mulch, top soil, potting soil; plastic drop 'cloths,' and the like.

I thought the 'butchers knot' would do the trick, but it doesn't. But that's the kind of knot I need: wrap the string/cord around the pile of stuff, put it thru some kind of loop, then simply pull to tighten without relaxing.

Any ideas?


----------



## subroc (Jan 3, 2015)

A bowline as a loop, run your line through that and a few half hitches to secure it.


----------



## RJH30518 (Sep 7, 2015)

Try the Fastcap bow tie:


http://www.fastcap.com/estore/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=56513


Watch the video, I sounds like it will be what you are looking for.


----------



## Alchymist (Jan 2, 2011)

http://www.animatedknots.com/indexarborist.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.png&Website=www.animatedknots.com


----------



## TerryQ (Apr 8, 2014)

Tie a bowline at one end, wrap you line around the bundle. Make a figure 8 loop near where the line comes around your bundle, run the end through the bowline, back to the figure 8 loop and pull back toward the bowline. It gives you a 3-1 mechanical advantage allowing you to tighten the bundle much tighter than you could otherwise, and all it takes to hold it is a slip knot that you just pull on to loosen your bundle. All knots are easily untied even after being under tremendous pressure so it can be repeated as often as necessary on any size bundle as long as the line is long enough.


----------



## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

subroc said:


> A bowline as a loop, run your line through that and a few half hitches to secure it.


Agree. That is how I do it.

There is no such thing as a "self tightening know."

George


----------



## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

So a knot meant for carrying bundles of timber that tightens up more when force is applied.. Isn't that just a timber hitch?


----------



## gj13us (Apr 19, 2016)

TerryQ said:


> Tie a bowline at one end, wrap you line around the bundle. Make a figure 8 loop near where the line comes around your bundle, run the end through the bowline, back to the figure 8 loop and pull back toward the bowline. It gives you a 3-1 mechanical advantage allowing you to tighten the bundle much tighter than you could otherwise, and all it takes to hold it is a slip knot that you just pull on to loosen your bundle. All knots are easily untied even after being under tremendous pressure so it can be repeated as often as necessary on any size bundle as long as the line is long enough.


Is this a.k.a. a truckers hitch?


----------



## TerryQ (Apr 8, 2014)

gj13us said:


> Is this a.k.a. a truckers hitch?


I didn't know what a truckers hitch was so I had to look it up, but yes, it is a truckers hitch. I learned it because when I was in my early 20's I went canoeing with some guys and between 6 of us, no one could tie the canoes on tight enough. I decided that would never happen again and learned how to tie some useful knots. This truckers hitch is one of the most useful and just knowing the principal of mechanical advantage will get you through life. 

Just last week I was watching a reality show where some guys wanted to tighten a cable so they could send logs down it. They had a bunch of pulleys, but instead of hooking them up so they could get a three-to-one or five-to-one mechanical advantage (or whatever it is, you can do the math) to tighten the cable, they instead used all the pulleys in a zigzag fashion just so they had room to pull the cable using a 4-wheeler, complaining it was too muddy to get good enough traction to tighten the cable.


----------



## TwoRails (Jan 23, 2016)

subroc said:


> A bowline as a loop, run your line through that and a few half hitches to secure it.


Thanks for the idea but I haven't had much luck with that. Sometimes the stuff is so springy that it all loosens up before I can lock it down. I'm really looking for something where I can just pull the loose end and the 'knot' stays tight on its own.


----------



## TwoRails (Jan 23, 2016)

RJH30518 said:


> Try the Fastcap bow tie:
> 
> http://www.fastcap.com/estore/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=56513
> 
> Watch the video, I sounds like it will be what you are looking for.


That's a pretty cool little gadget. I watched a couple of videos on it. It sure seems like something handy to have around the shop. Sorry I wasn't more clear but the string/cord will not be saved. It's going with what ever is wrapped up into the trash, recycle, bin, and so on. Heck, with branches and the like, it might even get cut up when I chainsaw the wrapped branches into smaller pieces.


----------



## TwoRails (Jan 23, 2016)

Alchymist said:


> http://www.animatedknots.com/indexarborist.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.png&Website=www.animatedknots.com


Very nice knot site  I'll have to go thru it again.


----------



## TwoRails (Jan 23, 2016)

TerryQ said:


> Tie a bowline at one end, wrap you line around the bundle. Make a figure 8 loop near where the line comes around your bundle, run the end through the bowline, back to the figure 8 loop and pull back toward the bowline. It gives you a 3-1 mechanical advantage allowing you to tighten the bundle much tighter than you could otherwise, and all it takes to hold it is a slip knot that you just pull on to loosen your bundle. All knots are easily untied even after being under tremendous pressure so it can be repeated as often as necessary on any size bundle as long as the line is long enough.


Pretty interesting... I'm going to give that a try for sure


----------



## TwoRails (Jan 23, 2016)

epicfail48 said:


> So a knot meant for carrying bundles of timber that tightens up more when force is applied.. Isn't that just a timber hitch?


That sure sounds like what I'm looking for. I'll have to check it out on that knot site posted above.


----------



## TwoRails (Jan 23, 2016)

GeorgeC said:


> Agree. That is how I do it.
> 
> There is no such thing as a "self tightening know."
> 
> George


Actually, there kind of is. Check out the short video on a "butcher's knot." I've seen a couple of different versions of it, but all show that you wrap up the meat, make a loop-thing, snap it tight, and you can let it go. Exactly what I'm looking for. I've even seen it where folks use it to tie up packages.






I just haven't been able to get it to work  I don't know if I'm not doing it right, or I have to use butcher's cord, or it's because most of my stuff want's to push back (like a pile of branches) or what.


----------



## Alchymist (Jan 2, 2011)

Make a simple slip knot in the end of the rope. Pass the rope around the bundle and through the slip knot. Push the slip knot tight against the rope, then pull the rope tight through the slip knot. Make an overhand knot with the free end around the part of the rope leading to the slip knot (bend free end 180°). If you want ot release easily, make the last knot a bowtie knot. Easier to do than describe.


----------



## TwoRails (Jan 23, 2016)

Alchymist said:


> Make a simple slip knot in the end of the rope. Pass the rope around the bundle and through the slip knot. Push the slip knot tight against the rope, then pull the rope tight through the slip knot. Make an overhand knot with the free end around the part of the rope leading to the slip knot (bend free end 180°). If you want ot release easily, make the last knot a bowtie knot. Easier to do than describe.


Sounds good; I'll give it a try, too. Thanks.


----------



## Pineknot_86 (Feb 19, 2016)

Tie a rope or cord in a circle. Run one end under the wood and take the other end and pass it through the first end. When you lift it, it will tighten.


----------



## TwoRails (Jan 23, 2016)

Pineknot_86 said:


> Tie a rope or cord in a circle. Run one end under the wood and take the other end and pass it through the first end. When you lift it, it will tighten.


Maybe I haven't had enough coffee yet... but I'm having trouble visualizing that.


----------



## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

TwoRails said:


> Maybe I haven't had enough coffee yet... but I'm having trouble visualizing that.


It is the bowline knot method just stated in a non-technical manner.

George


----------



## TwoRails (Jan 23, 2016)

GeorgeC said:


> It is the bowline knot method just stated in a non-technical manner.
> 
> George


Ahhh... OK, Thanks


----------



## gj13us (Apr 19, 2016)

This might be a weird confession: I keep a length of clothesline in my desk drawer for down-times at work when I'm procrastinating--and I practice knots. 

Mostly the bowline. And when I'm feeling really stressed it's the trucker's hitch. But since this thread, it's been the butcher's knot around the arm of my chair. 
Luckily I don't share my office with anyone. :nerd2:


----------



## TwoRails (Jan 23, 2016)

Hi All. Just came across this and it seems pretty handy. I don't have the same needs as when I originally posted, but I'll be trying this out:





.


----------



## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

subroc said:


> a bowline as a loop, run your line through that and a few half hitches to secure it.


+1.

Gmc


----------



## GROOVY (Apr 27, 2008)

A Prusik knot, or triple sliding hitch, is a friction hitch used to put a loop of cord around a rope, we used these in rescue. useful and simple its surprising how well they grip


----------

