Overhand knot
| Overhand knot | |
|---|---|
|
The overhand knot
|
|
| Names | Overhand knot, Thumb knot |
| Category | Stopper |
| Efficiency | 50% |
| Origin | Ancient |
| Related | Simple noose, Overhand loop, Figure-eight knot, Angler's loop, reef knot, Fisherman's knot, Water knot |
| Releasing | Extreme jamming |
| Typical use | Fishing, climbing, shoelaces, making other knots. |
| Caveat | Spills if the standing part is pulled forcibly in the wrong direction |
| ABoK | 514 |
| Conway Notation | 3 |
| A/B notation | 31 |
The overhand knot is one of the most fundamental knots, and it forms the basis of many others, including the simple noose, overhand loop, angler's loop, reef knot, fisherman's knot, and water knot. The overhand knot is a stopper, especially when used alone, and hence it is very secure, to the point of jamming badly. It should be used if the knot is intended to be permanent. It is often used to prevent the end of a rope from unraveling.
Contents
Tying
There are a number of ways to tie the Overhand knot.
- Thumb method - create a loop and push the working end through the loop with your thumb.
- Overhand method - create a bight, by twisting the hand over at the wrist and sticking your hand in the hole, pinch the working end with your fingers and pull through the loop.
Heraldry
In heraldry, the overhand knot is known as a "Stafford knot," due to use first as a heraldic badge by the "Lords of Stafford," then as a general symbol of Staffordshire.[1]
In nature
As a defensive measure, hagfishes, which resemble eels, produce large volumes of thick slime when disturbed. A hagfish can remove the excess slime, which can suffocate it in a matter of minutes, by tying its tail into an overhand knot, then sliding the knot forward towards its head. This action scrapes the slime off the fish's body. Hagfish also tie their bodies into overhand knots in order to create leverage to rip off chunks of their prey's flesh.[2]
Knot theory
If the two loose ends of an overhand knot are joined together (without creating additional crossings), this becomes equivalent to the trefoil knot of mathematical knot theory.
Overhand knot in paper-folding
If a flat ribbon or strip is tightly folded into a flattened overhand knot, it assumes a regular pentagonal shape.[3]
See also
References
- ↑ Arthur Charles Fox-Davies, A Complete Guide to Heraldry (1909), pp. 462, 469.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Mathematical Models by H. Martyn Cundy and A.P. Rollett, second edition, 1961 (Oxford University Press), p. 57.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Overhand knots. |
