Can any of you suggest a good book on knots? I need to refresh myself and learn more. Thanks.

My favorite, for technical applications pertaining to caving, SAR, and the like is "On Rope" by Bruce Smith and Allen Padgett, published by the National Speleological Society.

The classic nautical reference is Marlinspike Seamanship. I can't find my copy and I can't recall the author.but it is very comprehensive, especially if you want to rig a four masted schooner.

Any particular application that you had in mind? That would help us recommend the best reference.

Just for basic knowledge. I am studying to be a wilderness guide. Not sure if I plan on Mountain climbing. I am going to take courses at my local college. The courses I am taking are - Fundamentals of back country living, Eastern Mountaineering, River safety and swift water rescue, Wilderness first responder and Adventure sports management. I plan on taking more but I am late as they are winter courses.

The great granddaddy of them all is "The Ashley Book of Knots" by Clifford W. Ashley. I have a copy and think anyone who seriously uses knots should at easy have easy access to a copy.

That said it is not necessarily the handiest book to learn knots from. Terminology is variable, knots, even quite familiar ones, are hard to look up because the names and designations are confusing. It is also fairly expensive at $65 list price. But it is considered to be the bible of knots and is considered a standard reference on the subject.

It is also a fun book to work your way through. I just nibble at it piecemeal but a friend spent a year's worth of late evenings and free time working his way through every knot and piece. He picked up a lot of hands-on experience and know-how. There are far worse ways of spending one's spare time.

The thing about knots is that pretty much everything anyone needs to do can be accomplished with far fewer than Ashley's 3900 knots. Most people on the street only know two or three. One of which is likely a false knot that just might get them killed if used in a critical situation.

But even professional sailors and mountaineers might only use six or seven knots regularly. Learn a half-dozen basic knots and learn to make them well and you have all you really need. Unless you just like learning new knots there isn't much need for a book.

I think "On Rope" will be a pretty good start - be sure and get the revised, 1996, edition.

Learn a few knots well (so you can tie them blindfolded in a cold shower - I am not exaggerating),especially the figure eight and its variations, the bowline, and clove hitch.

I have ABOK (The Ashley Book of Knots) too, and love it, but I would not recommend it for a beginning someone new to knots or just trying to relearn a few. It is more of a reference than a "How To" guide. I think someone tryng to us Ashley's book as their first learning book for knots will be severly disappointed. Ashley wrote a great book for people who are ALREADY into knots, not beginners.

"The Directory Of Knots" by John Shaw is one I would recommend for more practical use. I think I even saw this one on the bargain shelves at a Barnes & Nobles or Borders once too. So check there and you might get a good discount on the price.

"The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Knots" by Geoffrey Budsworth is not bad. For actually learning to tie the knots I like Shaw's book better, but for a colorful coffee table book for guests to browse through, the photography in Budsworth's book is very appealing. Budsworth's book is not bad, but sometimes they crop the pictures too close and you have no easy way to tell the standing end vs. the running end of the rope.

The selection of knots in both Shaw's and Budsworth's books should cover wall that the average person would need. Both books also contain some "Why would I want to learn THAT knot?" type of filler things, but those can be easily ignored.

I too have the Ashley's Book of Knots and am quite proud of it.It was one of my first purchases after I got to my ship in the Navy.That book is worn,dogearred and stained.It still smells like deisel fuel(I was on a oil replenishment ship)and has been around the world with me.As Haertig said,it is not for beginers but I would still get one if I came across one.Items like these have a habit of going to the wayside.The knoledge and history in it are priceless!


BOATMAN
John

I am certainly not familiar with your specific curriculum, but I would think that any wilderness guide course would cover the basics of rope use in mountaineering. Not that you are going to do long, exposed routes, but there are countless situations where the proper application of rope will enable a risky passage to be accomplished safely and securely.

I would also suggest Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, put out and revised by the [Seattle] Mountaineers since 1960. It is a classic. Besides the stuff on knots and rope handling, there are great chapters on wilderness travel, navigation, leadership, safety, weather, etc. The seventh edition is a bit pricey ($38) but it should be in your school's library.

I have been researching knots lately too. I don't have any book recommendations but check out the website Animated Knots by Grog.

From what I have read over various forums and websites, the recommended knots to learn (for general purpose applications) are these:
Square knot
Bowline
Two Half hitches
Taut line
Clove hitch
Figure eight
Sheet bend
Prusik

I want to stress that I'm not an expert at knots, these are simply the knots that I am working on learning myself.

-Robert

As a good portable refrence,
I like " The Handbook of Knots "
by Des Pawson.

It is a good introduction to
knot and line terminology,
and contains enough knots to be
useful, but not so many as to be
overwhelming.