Knot Basics

I have a few links on the side to knot sites, but I’m going to put them front and center today as you think about what to do over the Thanksgiving weekend (besides giving thanks and eating a lot of turkey).

Alan Folsom’s Knot Page shows how to tie many knots, but this link shows how to do your basic ones (including the sheepshank and timber hitch).

I find splicing and whipping to be the most difficult to remember and envision. That’s why Animated Knots by Grog are so helpful. You can literally stop on any step and go back and forth until you understand what is being done.

Some of these knots don’t work on thin, smooth lines used for fishing because they simply don’t have enough friction. Orvis Animated Knots has a few examples of knots for fishing line. They are animated step by step, but still take a little practice to understand. Funny that it doesn’t have the fisherman’s knot although you can find that back on Grog’s page.

I think I like Grog’s page best because I can go backwards in the animation and there are further explanations of why certain knots work better than others for different applications. Regardless, for someone who just likes to tie knots for the fun of it, like me, all of these pages are entertaining.