Trying to drive us nuts?

Let's exclude climbing and related high-angle rescue work for a moment - just dropping climbing will eliminate 1/2 the potential arguements.

For example, I like and trust most of the bowline family. There are varients that eliminate the problems Pete mentions. I also use - for various reasons - the figure 8 family, usually just for climbing. But one thing I hate about figure 8 vs bowline is that after a heavy strain, some figure 8s are practically impossible to un-knot, vs a bowline which can always be un-knotted. Once upon a time climbers used bowlines. New crop (to me) hates bowlines. Wheels turn... they both are useful.

1. So - bowline family is on my list.

2. Also figure 8 family (I know - I'm cheating - but once you know a couple of variants of knots, they stick in one's head easily enough)

3. Alpine Butterfly and variants is exceptionally useful but seems like few folks outside of climbers bother to use it. Usually pretty easy to untie and there are a couple of tricks in the tying for cases where a stretchy rope (like laid nylon) is going to put a large strain on the butterfly, which otherwise could be a bear to untie afterwards. Not much a problem with lower stretch ropes. Anyway, this is a must-know knot family. (I just saw a new one to me thru this thread - the Alpine butterfly bend, and I REALLY like that - obvious once I saw it.)

4. Prusik knots (single and double), tied either way. Too often overlooked and is far more versitile than most realize. Forget about prusiking (I use others if I have 'biners) - if you look for uses in the real world, it will cover tons of situations that otherwise require more specialized knots. This can do many things well - too many to list, so go play.

5. Double Fisherman's aka double grinner knot - there are some obvious variations. About the only knot I use to form slings with cords and ropes. That is, permanent slings - it is a beast to un-knot after a heavy load.

6. Clove hitch and related knots.

7. Sheet bend and double sheet bend - yes, I know of many current arguments about better bends, but for many situations these are great knots, especially if the lines will be in constant tension. For example, making an expedient shelter with a membrane that has no grommets or torn-out grommets - make the bight in the membrane and the loop with the guyline.

8. Tautline hitch (OK - there's one that's better for the same situations, but this is the 3rd knot my Dad taught me, it works, and I have to teach it to my scouts anyway). Sometimes I cheat and do a prusik hitch instead - see #4, above - but 99% of the time, a tautline.

9. Water knot (to me) aka tape bend aka overhand bend - one of the few bends I use for tubular nylon, webbing, or other flat material.

10. Lashings in general. If you're a scout, you may be hung up on a handful and think they must only be used as stipulated in the handbook. Use lashings enough and find out that it's the principle involved that matters, not so much exactly which one is used when there is a choice. Learn 4-5 basic ones and you can handle many situations well enough and re-invent/improvise most other situations. Also try out different cordages - some suck in certain uses and you have to learn how to compensate for their properties. You also figure out pretty quickly that lashing something practical takes a lot of cordage AND that you can fairly well standardize on pre-cut lengths that will handle lashings as well as other chores and - well, a whole lot of useful things best learned before you need to apply the knowledge.

Some things are too obvious to merit listing - like two (or more) half-hitches (works great in chain, too). Round turns and/or wraps in conjunction with a hitch. Reef (square) knots have limited applications... (I HATE that we have to teach that one early on in scouts - it's a very limited-use knot and too many folks mis-use it as a bend). etc etc

Ask me when I'm climbing and my short list will change. I probably have 50-60 bends, hitches, knots, etc. jammed in the front of my brain and another 30-40 wandering around in the back of my cluttered mind, so I'm not a knot-demon like some folks. However, I enjoy learning new ones and if I like one well enough, it either gets added to my routine list or displaces one on my routine list.

I'll second the earlier book mentions. Of the noteworthies, I tend to favor Budworth's books a bit.

That's my list, sort of. Until it changes.