| Reever Knot | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Category | Bend |
| Related | Vice Versa Bend, Simple Simon Over, Simple Simon Under, Double Harness Bend |
| Releasing | Non-jamming |
The Reever Knot is a secure bend for joining two ropes. An important attribute of the knot is that each line going in and out of the knot is clamped at two points within the knot. For this reason it is considered secure and resistant to being shaken loose when subject to intermittent loads. [1]
The Reever Knot is close related to the Vice Versa Bend. They only differ in the selection of which lines are used as the standing and working ends of the knot.
Given the structure of the knot there are three possible combinations one can use for the standing and working ends of the knot. The standing parts can be A-A, A-B, or B-B. The Reever knot results when the standing ends are selected as A-A. [2] Selecting the standing ends as A-B results in the Vice Versa Bend. [3]
All forms of the knot are considered reliable and secure but it is suggested that the Reever Knot is the better version because the arrangement of standing and working ends in the Vice Versa Bend is not strictly symmetric. [1]
The Reever Knot appears in an article by C E I Wright and J E Magowan in volume 40 of the Alpine Journal in 1928 as a knot that is recommended for joining two ropes. [2]
The Vice Versa Bend appears in The Alternative Knot Book by Harry Asher (1989). In the introduction to his 'New System of Knots' he presents a sequence of three new knots, the Simple Simon Over, the Simple Simon Under, and the Vice Versa Bend. The three knots form a developmental sequence that were inspired by aspects of the Sheet bend. [3]
In his 1995 book, Symmetric Bends: How to Join Two Lengths of Cord, Miles presents a knot theoretic analysis of 60 symmetric bends. The Vice Versa Bend appears as number 19 in this sequence. Miles attributes the knot to Asher and describes it as a 'pure lanyard bend' in which "two ends of equal status emerge from the knot in each of two opposite directions". [4]
Budworth, a founding member of the International Guild of Knot Tyers, includes the Vice Versa Bend in his 2000 book The Book of Practical Knots. He also attributes the knot to Asher. [5]
The relationship between the Reever Knot and the Vice Versa Bend was first pointed out by Clements In his 2004 article "The Vice Versa Bend and the Reever Knot". [1] His analysis of the symmetry of the two forms of the knot led him to suggest that the Reever Knot, being completely symmetric, is the better version of the knot. He concludes that the Reever knot is a secure bend that is compact and streamlined in form, and that it deserves to be more widely known and used.
The knot provides a compact, streamlined and decorative way of joining two ropes. However its primary attribute is that it is resistant against working loose when subject to intermittent loads. [1] The security of the knot arises from the fact that at step 3 in the tying sequence the knot is a Double Harness Bend (ABoK #1420). The additional step of passing the ends through the outer loops to complete the knot results in each line entering and exiting the knot being clamped at two points within the knot.
A knot is an intentional complication in cordage which may be practical or decorative, or both. Practical knots are classified by function, including hitches, bends, loop knots, and splices: a hitch fastens a rope to another object; a bend fastens two ends of a rope to each another; a loop knot is any knot creating a loop; and splice denotes any multi-strand knot, including bends and loops. A knot may also refer, in the strictest sense, to a stopper or knob at the end of a rope to keep that end from slipping through a grommet or eye. Knots have excited interest since ancient times for their practical uses, as well as their topological intricacy, studied in the area of mathematics known as knot theory.
The butterfly loop, also known as lineman's loop, butterfly knot, alpine butterfly knot, Swiss loop and lineman's rider, is a knot used to form a fixed loop in the middle of a rope. Tied in the bight, it can be made in a rope without access to either of the ends; this is a distinct advantage when working with long climbing ropes. The butterfly loop is an excellent mid-line rigging knot; it handles multi-directional loading well and has a symmetrical shape that makes it easy to inspect. In a climbing context it is also useful for traverse lines, some anchors, shortening rope slings, and for isolating damaged sections of rope.
The constrictor knot is one of the most effective binding knots. Simple and secure, it is a harsh knot that can be difficult or impossible to untie once tightened. It is made similarly to a clove hitch but with one end passed under the other, forming an overhand knot under a riding turn. The double constrictor knot is an even more robust variation that features two riding turns.
A bend is a type of knot used to join two lengths of rope. Bends are used in a variety of situations, including climbing, sailing, and securing loads. They are classified based on their ability to be tightened or released, their resistance to slipping, and their strength. Some common types include the sheet bend, the double fisherman's knot, and the double figure-eight bend. Bends allow two ropes to be securely joined together, enabling the combined ropes to support weight or transmit force. It is important to choose the appropriate bend for the specific task at hand, as some may be stronger or more secure than others.
The butterfly bend is a knot used to join the ends of two ropes together. It is the analogous bend form of the butterfly loop, in that it is the butterfly loop with the loop cut. The observation that the butterfly loop is secure enough to isolate a worn or damaged section of rope within the loop indicated that the bend form of the knot would be similarly secure.
A zeppelin bend is an end-to-end joining knot formed by two symmetrically interlinked overhand knots. It is stable, secure, and highly resistant to jamming. It is also resistant to the effects of slack shaking and cyclic loading.
A grief knot is a knot which combines the features of a granny knot and a thief knot, producing a result which is not generally useful for working purposes. The word grief does not carry its usual meaning but is a portmanteau of granny and thief.
The heaving line bend is a knot for securely joining two ropes of different diameter or rigidity. It is often used to affix playing strings to the thick silk eyes of an anchorage knot in some stringed instruments. In nautical use, the heaving line bend is used to connect a lighter messenger line to a hawser when mooring ships. It is knot number 1463 in The Ashley Book of Knots, and appeared in the 1916 Swedish knot manual Om Knutar.
Hunter's bend is a knot used to join two lines. It consists of interlocking overhand knots, and can jam under moderate strain. It is similar to the Zeppelin bend.
The Carrick bend, also known as the Sailor's breastplate, is a knot used for joining two lines. It is particularly appropriate for very heavy rope or cable that is too large and stiff to be easily formed into other common bends. It will not jam even after carrying a significant load or being soaked with water.
The sheet bend is a bend knot. It is practical for joining lines of different diameter or rigidity.
A becket hitch, including the double becket or figure-of-eight becket hitch, is any hitch that is made on an eye loop, i.e. on a becket. A becket hitch has the same structure as the sheet bend, which joins, or "bends", the ends of two ropes together. The becket hitch, in contrast, fixes a rope to a closed eye or hook. In this instance, a becket means the eye or hook of a pulley block, an eye in the end of a rope, or a rope handle on a sailor's sea chest.
Ashley's bend is a knot used to securely join the ends of two ropes together. It is similar to several related bend knots which consist of two interlocking overhand knots, and in particular the alpine butterfly bend. These related bends differ by the way the two constituent overhand knots are interlocked.
The simple Simon under bend is a knot belonging to the category bend. It was invented by Harry Asher. It is more secure than the similar Simple Simon over and more efective with quite large differences in thickness of the two ropes.
The harness knot is a general purpose bend knot used to join two ropes together. The knot can be tied under tension and will not capsize.
The reef knot, or square knot, is an ancient and simple binding knot used to secure a rope or line around an object. It is sometimes also referred to as a Hercules knot. The knot is formed by tying a left-handed overhand knot between two ends, instead of around one end, and then a right-handed overhand knot via the same procedure, or vice versa. A common mnemonic for this procedure is "right over left; left over right", which is often appended with the rhyming suffix "... makes a knot both tidy and tight". Two consecutive overhands tied as described above of the same handedness will make a granny knot. The working ends of the reef knot must emerge both at the top or both at the bottom, otherwise a thief knot results.
The reef knot or square knot consists of two half knots, one left and one right, one being tied on top of the other, and either being tied first...The reef knot is unique in that it may be tied and tightened with both ends. It is universally used for parcels, rolls and bundles. At sea it is always employed in reefing and furling sails and stopping clothes for drying. But under no circumstances should it ever be tied as a bend, for if tied with two ends of unequal size, or if one end is stiffer or smoother than the other, the knot is almost bound to spill. Except for its true purpose of binding it is a knot to be shunned.
The Lapp knot is a type of bend. It has the same structure as the sheet bend, but the opposite ends are loaded. The slipped Lapp bend is also an exploding knot, which means that when pulling the quick release end it falls completely apart without further entanglement. It is as strong as or even stronger than the sheet bend, though much less common.
The simple Simon over bend is a knot belonging to the category bend. The simple Simon under holds well even with slippery synthetic ropes, but is less secure than the similar simple Simon under.
