Bight knots are tied to create single, double or triple loops in a rope or line. The multiple looped bights are variations of the single looped bight. Bight knots are tied to create single, double or triple loops in a rope or line. The multiple looped bights are variations of the single looped bight.

A single loop is useful when you need to throw a rope over something such as a post (to tie up a boat, for example), or when you need to attach something to a loop of rope (as in rock climbing), and so on. With some of these loop knots, the end of the rope can first be wrapped around an object (such as passing the rope around a person's waist or around a tree) before tying the knot.

The term bight is used in knot tying to refer to any curved section, slack part, or loop between the two ends of a rope, string, or yarn. An important concept, the term is used extensively in the description of knots and the discourse of knotting and related subjects.

ALPINE BUTTERFLY

The Alpine Butterfly is a midline knot sometimes used to tie in the middle man during glacier travel. It has found a use, instead of a clove hitch, when equalizing anchors for a top rope set up (in specific circumstances). Also sometimes used in Tyrolean traverses. It's easier to untie, after being weighted, than a figure eight and uses less rope.

Another advantage of this knot is if your rope is damaged, you can isolate the damaged area by tying an Alpine Butterfly around it.

Follow these steps to tie the Alpine Butterfly:

METHOD 1:

Form a loop in the rope.

IMAGE 1

Twist the loop, so that it becomes two loops as shown.

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Grab the top of the upper loop and fold it underneath the line.

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Continue the wrap, feeding it back through original loop.

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Dress the knot, pull tight and attach your load to the protruding loop.

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METHOD 2:

Many prefer this method for tying the Alpine Butterfly.

First give the rope two twists as in the first picture, which creates two loops.

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Put your hand through the upper loop (image 2)

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Then put your fingers through the other loop (image 3).

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Bring the upper loop over to your fingers (image 4), then grab the upper loop with your thumb and finger and pull your hand all the way out.

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In image 5, the loop that you pulled through the knot is now hanging down at the bottom, and notice that the knot looks like two intertwined Overhand Knots.

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Dress and set the knot (image 6).

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This looks a little complicated when it is captured in images, but it is actually quite simple and quick to do. If you pull the two ends in opposite directions then the knot will form itself into the configuration which is more familiar to many people (image 7).

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METHOD 3:

Here is another way to tie the Alpine Butterfly.

Start by wrapping the rope several times around your hand so that you have three strands of rope laying on the palm of your hand (image 1 below).

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Grab the left-most strand (#1 in image 1) and bring it all the way to the right over the other two strands (images 1 and 2).

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Once again grab the left-most strand (#2 in image 3) and bring it all the way to the right over the other two strands (images 3 and 4).

 
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After bringing strand #2 over the other two strands, push it back to the left under the other two strands (image 5).

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Now dress the knot so that strand #2 becomes the loop, keeping strands 3 and 1 in the same order as they are in image 5.

The dressed knot should look like image 6 below. Since strand #2 will become the loop, you can resize it before you push it to the left under the other two strands. There are other ways to tie an Alpine Butterfly using a method similar to this, but I prefer my variation for two reasons. First, it is easier to remember because you always pick up the left-most strand and bring it all the way to the right over the other two strands. Second, it automatically results in a well-dressed knot because it puts strands 1 and 3 into the proper positions so that you end up with the knot in image 6 below. This method of tying an Alpine Butterfly also has several advantages over the first method shown above. One advantage is that this method tends to eliminate most of the "twist" in the rope which can happen with the first method. This method is also less "awkward" than Method 2. Plus, this same basic method can be used for tying the Double Alpine Butterfly, the Triple Alpine Butterfly, and the Alpine Butterfly Bend, which makes it easy to remember how to tie the Alpine Butterfly for different purposes.

IMAGE 6

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BOWLINE

The Bowline has been called "the King of Knots," and it is used around the world in one form or another. Here is the basic way to tie a Bowline, and we'll see a number of variations on the Bowline in this section and in other sections.

This knot is used only occasionally. Its uses include producing an anchor with three separate points of attachment, and its use as an improvised rescue sling. For rescue, the patient sits with one leg through each of two loops, and the torso through the third.

First make a small loop so that the rope crosses over on top of itself (image 1).

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Then bring the end of the rope up through that small loop (image 2).

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Bring the end of the rope around behind the main part of the rope and insert it into the small loop (image 3).

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Dress and set the knot (image 4).

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A mnemonic used to teach the tying of the bowline is to imagine the end of the rope as a rabbit, and where the knot will begin on the standing part, a tree trunk. First a loop is made near the end of the rope, which will act as the rabbit's hole. Then the "rabbit" comes up the hole, goes round the tree right to left, then back down the hole.

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DOUBLE DRAGON

The Double Dragon appears to be as strong and secure as the Alpine Butterfly. It is fairly quick and easy to tie and dress, and it doesn't require any kind of initial knot when it is tied around an object (similar to the Bowline, but unlike the Alpine Butterfly and the Figure-Eight Loop). However, it appears to jam (i.e. it can be difficult to untie) if both ends of the rope are under a strain. This makes the Double Dragon less useful as a mid-line loop or a bend than the Alpine Butterfly.

METHOD 1:

To tie this knot, first create two bights as in image 1.

IMAGE 1

Then wrap the end of the rope twice around the lower bight to create a big loop on the left and a small loop on the right (image 2).

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Bring the big loop (on the left) over the knot and push it through the small loop on the right (image 3).

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Finally dress and set the knot (image 4).

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METHOD 2:

Here is possibly a "quick" version of the Double Dragon, which can be used when tying a Double Dragon at the end of a rope or around an object. It's difficult to describe this in images, but with practice you'll get the hang of it.

To tie this knot, first make a loop, holding it with your right index and middle fingers and with your thumb on top of the point where the rope crosses itself (in image 1 the right thumb is not directly over the spot where the rope crosses itself, but this is simply to make the image a little clearer). The end of the rope should cross on top of the main part of the rope. Place your left index and middle fingers under the main part of the rope (image 1).

IMAGE 1

Now bring your left hand over to the right so that it crosses over on top of the loop (image 2). Notice in image 2 that your right index and middle fingers should be inside a small loop.

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Put your left index and middle fingers into the small loop where your right index and middle fingers are currently (image 3).

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Now transfer the knot to your left hand (use your left thumb to hold it in place) and remove your right hand, and you should have the same configuration as in image 4.

IMAGE 4

Finish tying the knot as previous described. Again, it's difficult to describe this in a few images, but as you play with it you'll be able to do this smoothly and quickly, especially if your right hand takes more of an active role in transferring the knot to your left hand.

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DOUBLE-KNOTTED BOWLINE

Adding a second small loop (an extra turn) to a basic Bowline. It has the advantage over the figure eight of being easier to untie after the knot has been weighted. However, it has several disadvantages, such as being less simple to visually inspect, and prone to slippage, requiring the addition of a stopper knot to be really secure. It's also considered weaker than the figure eight. Some people refer to this knot as the Double Bowline, which can be confusing because "DOUBLE BOWLINE" is also a good description of the Bowline on the Bight (which has two loops, just like the other double-loop knots). This knot is also known as the ROUND TURN BOWLINE.

Follow these steps to tie a double-knotted bowline:

Form two loops and thread the tie in point (harness, whatever) (image 1).

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Weave the rope back through the loops, around the main line, then down through the loops again. (image 2 and image 3).

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Wrap the tail as imaged (image 4).

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Finish with a stopper knot to ensure there is no slippage (image 5).

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DOUBLE FIGURE-OF-EIGHT LOOP

The double eight is a knot used by climbers. It is easy to tie and safer than the bowline. There is some discussion whether there should be a stopper at the end of the loose end or not. Speed of (un)tying is a safety factor itself.

The first way of tying is equal to the way of tying the flemish eight, but now in a double rope. The 'loose-end' is the loop. This way is only applicable when the loop is 'empty' during tying.

To tie this knot:

Start by doubling the rope: (image 1).

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Tie a figure eight knot in the double portion of the rope (image 2).

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Make sure to dress the knot properly so that all of the strands of rope are parallel to each other and don't cross over each other (image 3).

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If the loop is to be tied round something (round "your waist" for instance) you first tie an eight then lay the loop and double the eight. It is important to have enough rope for the loop. It requires experience, so start practicing (image 4).

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OVERHAND LOOP KNOT

The Overhand loop is a simple knot which forms a fixed loop in a rope. Made by tying an Overhand knot in the bight, it can be tied anywhere along a rope (Does not need any working end). The knot can be used for attaching clips, hooks, other rope, etc. But has the disadvantage that it is likely to jam tight when the rope has been pulled and the knot may need to be cut off. It also has some uses in kite-flying, though other knots may be better. It is commonly disapproved by the Boy Scouts because of its tendency to be misused as an alternative to the bowline.

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WATER BOWLINE

The water bowline is a type of knot designed for use in wet conditions where other knots may slip or jam.

Although similar in finished appearance to the double bowline, the water bowline is formed with a clove hitch as the loop in the standing part of the rope. This is similar to the double bowline, which puts the running end through a doubled loop. The additional friction from the clove hitch increases the security of this knot.

This knot improves upon the bowline which, considering that the latter is known as the "the king of knots", is quite an achievement. This knot is very secure and does not jam, even when wet.

To tie this knot:

Start by adding a second small loop to the start of a Bowline (image 1).

IMAGE 1

Then passing the end of the rope through that small loop (image 2), which adds more security to the Bowline. It also makes the Bowline less likely to jam when wet, hence the name of this knot.

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Draw up the second small loop snugly against the main knot (image 3), but don't be concerned if the second small loop separates from the main knot during use.

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