5 Awesome Knots that are hard to find on the internet

[@HowNOT2]

Check out our new store! hownot2.store/

[@AMC-eq3jr]

Great 28:02 - Opened another new world of knots.

[@seedmole]

+1 for those boulder tests, basket vs scorpion vs regular girth hitch

[@ShurikB93]

I have a quarry not too far from home, I'm dying to rig there. Wish I could gather some info about it

[@konradfurmanek298]

Yeah, that's realy something to think about...

[@thelast929]

The tree segment is great!

[@slopsec2358]

Learn something new every day. I've never seen someone use a hammer to untie a rope.

[@Diclofenac_]

Also, yesplease test dyneema and Nylon slings in different configurations!!! Thatd be highly interesting imo

[@pavlodeshko]

yeap, throwing in overhand to shorten the loop never feels right..

[@leonardmilcin7798]

Appreciate note at 3:19. I do not climb but I do sail. There is a lot of fun and useful knots but some of them are just easy to get wrong and thus possibly dangerous to use for critical loads. Since there are so many knots overall I feel I could just as well be teaching people knots that are harder to bungle up.

[@ogi22]

I used to sail (not much time for it now), but i do a bit of industrial climbing. And that's exactly what our instructor says - first ONLY basic, simple knots. Just neccesary ones. That's for safety which comes first in all applications. Less possibilities for failure. Having said this, knowing much more knots than is needed is fun :) But when i work, i use only basic ones for safety. Anyone can get disoriented and then you revers to what you know the best.

[@matthewgough9533]

Unfinished 9 0:49 Scorpion hitch 9:43 Adjustable sling 13:16 Double girth hitch or bGebz knot 17:22 Tailless BFK 18:47

[@HowNOT2]

Thanks. Forgot to do that

[@justindunlap1235]

@@HowNOT2 a couple of years ago I started carrying a bosun's knife while climbing, the marlin spike really helps with some of those sticky knots. I was curious if anyone you know has tried using one. Edit: of course it probably wouldn't do much for those machine set knots

[@geewok11]

Gday mate I’m a rigger and I use the adjustable sling all the time but have all ways been told it half’s the strength so love to see you brake some slings

[@kennethbiretz4882]

You mentioned the double girth hitch (bGebz) was 70%. Can you clarify…. It weakens the strap by 70% or retains 70% and weakens it 30%?

[@GarryNichols]

I have seen the Double girth hitch before, but not on an anchor and I never used it. Good idea I think I gonna give it a try. Thanks!

[@GarryNichols]

BTW congrats on the new space!

[@niknik0815]

Wow, those knots are awesome! I learned a lot! Thank you Ryan!

[@mariejulien6596]

nice workshop ! the second version of the adjustable sling is named the belgian knot, love this one so much !

[@jerrymagnin4248]

17:05 Yes, this knot works with climbing slings (btw, I heard the names "Hone Rate" and "Belgian Knot" for this one). I was taught to use it when I needed to adjust a sling instead of using an overhand / figure eight knot because it "should" give a better residual strength (an idea for a future test?), and because it is easier to untie.

[@cmldavies]

As always, quality of this content is A+++ 🙌🏼

[@BurchellAtTheWharf]

7:24 this is where the munter closed of with a clove hitch on the straining side would be what your looking for, easy to untie after excessive loading

[@bewizardment]

Pleeease test the scorpion hitch! It looks like a great trick but I would be too nervous to use it on a highline that my friends are going to whip on.

[@teddyruxpin3811]

then just use it on a highline that your enemies will whip on

[@Normanntrees]

Would love to see you try to move some boulders. They seem like immovable stable objects but I bet they move with a lot less force than I think. I also use the scorpion hitch (never knew it was called that) all the time in tree rigging to get the strength of thicker wood but move the rigging point to a higher crotch.

[@brettwebb5615]

The tailess BFK was great! I can see myself using for bolting sports routes when setting up rappels in terrain where there aren't any decent trees to use. Also that scorpion hitch through the fork...🤯😘😘

[@brandonwest8108]

I am definitely always super interested in learning more about leverage and how the rigging behaves in such situations!!! DO IT DO IT, JUST DDOOOOO IT

[@sebabalo]

Love this channel.

[@fredericunger837]

Nice one, thank you Ryan!

[@gravelman5789]

SMOOTH JAW VISE GRIPS ive use them for thirty years. perfect for high speed rappelling.

[@gravelman5789]

my favorite was bGebz! elegant way to incorporate hardware.

[@wildliveunit292]

Awesome video. Never heard of these knots but pretty hand to have the option:) What also would be really interesting the difference between braking a wet classic rope in comparison to a dry rope.

[@JasperJanssen]

I feel like I’ve already seen wet vs dry at least once?

[@steffankaizer]

i really would like to see all the different prusiks and arborists klimbing knots testet for breakstrength and openability

[@buntbar2438]

I suggest buying a Fid and a Marlinespike. The scorpion wrap is awesome!

[@rb603net]

Hey Ryan, thanks for the awesome content! Could you please do some tests with Big Bro tube chocks?

[@phoenix4ever367]

Yes, please. More tests on the scorpion hitch.

[@johnliungman1333]

Thanks a lot! Love the scorpion (and a cool name is a big plus for any knot)! As for the tail-less bfk, I am pretty certain that the self-anchor part would be full-strength even without rethreading it through the bfk. It does look neat coming out of the knot in the right direction though.

[@matthewpeters2062]

You gentlemen might benefit from a marlinspike in this scenario

[@Diclofenac_]

Another Thing I'd be interested in - testing ropes of known MBS tied in loops - as anchor slings, PAS, Purcell, etc

[@stsam63]

typically doubling anything in a loop will double the MBS (if you tie it in a loop with an EDK or double Fishermans that halves it) so you normally will get close to MBS like 90%ish because some is always lost, if it is doubled again it will typically get 150% MBS. I know this is an old comment but there is a How not 2 video that shows this with slings

[@Sicnus]

Will you guys please comment on.... or discuss the water knot and if it should be used with webbing to make your own custom slings? Old climber here and I've done this for ages... guided and taught hundreds of people in early 90's to use it and never had a problem but I see now that it seems folks are not recommending it. Just wanted to know the current thinking is. Thanks!

[@danteharasz3455]

LoL I really identified with the frustration from not being able to untie the knot!!

[@dragoscoco2173]

Get a fid.

[@Wavesonics]

Oh boy, the scorpion hitch gives me the willies.

[@richardhawkes4719]

About 23:30, when you talk about rethreading the tail of the BFK, do you not have to go around something with it first? Otherwise it will pull through when under load.

[@BryanJen21]

In your girth hitch section, you do a version of a Belgian Shelf. You basically have 3 legs to it, it can also be done with just the two sides. I'd love to see some pull tests with that! Also- if you're reading this. . . zeppelin knot pulls!!!!

[@JoBianco]

tailless bfk is cool. I'd be curious for you to test that with a dynamic rope compared to a static rope

[@martynwatson4929]

Hey, I enjoy the knot test videos, can you test the carrick bend and the water knot/bend in rope please?

[@SK-fo3hk]

Nice shirt Ryan!

[@emz_ow]

Great video !

[@professorsogol5824]

Use a marlin spike to loosen those knots.

[@rachelhasbruises]

Once you use one, you question how the hell you've made it this far if life without one...! Such a good tool.

[@TarzantheFunkyMan]

Probably a stupid question, but do some people carry marlin spikes in their gear kit? If not, why not? We use them in sailing and boating and it makes untying knots that have been cinched by absurd amounts of weight a breeze

[@appak001]

I’m all about having my cordellette unknotted and doing what you call “no tail” bfk: -its more rope efficient -you don’t have a knot in one of the legs to get in the way, reduce strength or have to check hasn’t come untied. -SO EASY to adjust the height of your masterpoint. -if the pieces are far apart or are using a lot of pieces you can tie each of the tales directly to Separate pieces -not having knots in your cordellette can be nice for some rescue uses .k x

[@laurentblondiau4274]

The adjustable knot in slings is sometimes referred as the Belgian knot

[@eastoahu]

beat me to it

[@ga5712]

Looks like you need a marlin spike to help work those knots out

[@kyledavis2955]

I'm literally 3 years late with this comment but just a note with the BFK is that its essential that both ends of the rope go all the way through your knot, if they don't you've created a big slip knot that can undo itself. It can be an easy mistake to make especially as you add more "legs" to it. We teach people to always double check it by pulling every strand that goes through the knot individually to ensure nothing slides through.

[@ChristianRouse]

Hey guys great channel, been subscribed a little while, what I’d love to see, if you haven’t already done it, is a 3 point anchor using a standard dynima climbing sling, say a 240mm with a girth hitch master point on a carabiner, with 1 anchor point or piece of gear removed to see if the girth hitch slips, thanks

[@adamm4619]

Hey Ryan. Seems there is little testing done on the unfinished figure 8 or 9. Care to do some as a master point to see if it's Redundant if a strand fails. Either by cutting or a leg failure.

[@you2tooyou2too]

re 21:00-24:41 The tailious BFK: At 21:16 you set the tail back, toward the anchor(s), rather than 'back and forth' or just leave it out front (which would work fine, & save 6ft of rope while you can still adjust it easily), which would avoid having to feed(23:30 'trace') it back thru the knot (which you did not (need to) do anyway).

[@niknik0815]

Hey Ryan, you said at 10:40 that you already lost 50% by girth hitching it at the back behind the 'boulder' there. When you pull girth hitched slings straight, do you really lose 50% compared to pulling one sling straight? That seems a lot to me as the bend radii (radiuses?) are not worse than when you click it into a biner or something. You ever did tests on that?

[@HowNOT2]

Funny you should mention that. We just filmed a video about sling strengths in different configurations. Spoiler alert: girth hitch wasn't 50% of MBS. Stay tuned.

[@abeltoth1878]

Good video

[@rodrigormotta]

please tell me you have transitioned to the bowline on a bite over this first knot. i have untied one after breaking the climbing rope (was using a retired one to tow a car off a snow ditch). it is super strong enough and easy to untie.

[@jenyates3033]

Tailless BFK... Super common in trad climbing in the UK.

[@chatttenn4814]

Some echo on the intro, like it. When you use a sliding x at a set of bolted anchors, do you use two slings, Or only one with limiter knots? I like the 1st choice because I feel it gives greater redundancy.

[@bceberhart]

We use a version of your "Unfinished 9". Ours starts as a Figure 8. Instead of following through, we send a bite through as you did. This know is known to us as a "Viking Knot" We use this with a highline or when lifting really heavy objects.

[@StagnantMizu]

what is your opinion on the triple loop bowline, would love a showdown between the best knots you can think of

[@robertmejia2582]

Any thoughts/concerns on using a bGebz(Double Girth hitch) right into a sewn loop on the end of the webbing?

[@MollieRuth]

Thoughts on shortening slings these ways but hanging vertically for things like hanging circus apparatuses?!

[@НиколайТарбаев-к1к]

Just a guess, what about laying a couple of extra cord loops around the rope into the knot to pool on for easier untying? Would it work? Would it affect the knot strength?

[@CoastalWolfRob]

would be interesting to see some boulder tests, helpful for cave rigging

[@weijingburr2392]

You fellas need a marlin spike.

[@n7jenast]

What do you think about the Zeppelin bend? Could you strength test it please? Is it OK to use in say a cordalette or might it jiggle loose?

[@understandingknots7391]

I like zeppelin bends. The same properties that make them relatively easy to untie make them somewhat more prone to jiggling loose, compared to a double fisherman's bend, though whether that difference is dangerous will depend on how stiff, how slippery, and how stretchy the material is, on tail length, and on exactly how it's loaded. I know the knot very well and have used it many times, but for most life-support applications, I stick to the knots that have heaps of data and not only about strength and security, but also ease of inspection, difficulty of mistying, and familiarity to climbing partners. I have sometimes, when I know something was going to suck to untie, used a zeppelin bend or flat overhand or carrick bend with long tails, then tied the tails together with a double fisherman's bend, or tied a double fisherman's bend, and isolated it with a butterfly knot after the fact. This way the system is ultimately closed with the well tested and trusted fisherman's bend, but the load is going to something I can untie more easily afterward. It does take more time, and uses up cordage, but once it a while I find it worth the trade-offs.

[@larathompson1981]

I was taught for mountaineering to use the butterfly knot for mid-rope tie-in because it's easy to undo after weighting. Could you test that one?

[@eoinmcadams7249]

Kinda new subscriber. Work in industrial rope access. Love the channel and all your research done. Just curious tho isn't a unfinished 9 very similar to the bunny ears knot just a little more complicated. With the exception of an extra loop... an fancy looks 😂

[@CanmoreUniProduction]

Let’s see a BFK break test!

[@alexeyveseliev106]

0:58 did you make a "wrong" 8 knot? :)

[@verdantpulse5185]

Laying a tapered fid through the hard nip of a knot while it is under load makes untying much easier. Pull the fid and a space to work with is created.

[@Konsti8082]

I would looove to see some Grigris in the snap machine or even the Falltower

[@michaelwhitten2942]

A fid works better than a hammer for untying knots.

[@TomBrooklyn]

Marlinspikes are a tool made for loosening knots.

[@GetUrPhil]

That Girth-hitch is also called a Choker in rigging.

[@samlight15]

Hi, Has anyone brought up the topic of testing wet knot/ fabric strength? Also, in a recent video I saw you using a hammer to loosen some figure 8 and 9, I’ve seen water soak into the rope and loosen it from the inside… then smash and roll. Thanks!

[@marksatterfield]

have you tried untying the handy bowline with tension?

[@vieuxacadian9455]

that figure 9 makes me remember a triple bowline on bight .

[@wasatchpilots619]

The alpine butterfly on a bite is the unfinished nine you need

[@alextemus]

Hey Ryan, One "knot" that I've used a ton, but really can't find any resources that test or discuss it, is a waterknot with a carabiner in the middle. I've used it a ton and it seems to keep tension just fine and makes the knot a heck of a lot easier to untie, but i can't find anything online that has actually tested if it weakens the webbing or will slip at high loads or not. Would you feel like testing this?

[@MrAlgy3289]

Love the video! Just trying to find highline anchors 102 and cant find it anywhere. Please could you let me know if it's still up on the site? Thanks

[@nikolaihedler8883]

I would be interested to see if a traceback bowline is easier to untie in climbing rope than a trace 8.

[@dragan3290]

On EBay or any martial arts store. You can buy an aluminum poker for a keyring ( kubotan) . I have one with a sharp point and feeds in stuck knots ,webbing etc. About 10 dollars and well worth it.

[@johnhoye6584]

Why do you not use organic scorpions for that knot? Get a large marlinespike or drift pin for opening knots. Ac cording to many there is knot any knot without a pun, but some like to bend those rules.

[@tomtom4405]

Please could test a 22kn thin dynema sling over a terrible sharp edge of rock versus a fat nylon 22kn sling on exactly the same edge. Edit: the correct name for that BFK with the really long tails is the BFT BFK ;)

[@philb6416]

I was thinking, if I'm scorpion hitching a boulder on a slight uphill; what if the pull on it loosens the boulder slightly and then the boulder rolls down the hill. Maybe not really a concern when it's big enough.

[@HowNOT2]

That is a concern. That actually killed someone on a highline. Use on big rocks and don’t pull them downhill.

[@Tatominator]

Boulder test please (even if it is only anecdotally applicable because rocks being different from other rocks in different dirt

[@JeffLocke1]

Hi there! I work in the film industry here in LA as a Grip, and we use most of the stuff that you do on a fairly regular basis. We even take rigging classes that teach the same concepts. My question is this: why do you focus on the MBS of a piece of equipment and not the Working Load Limit (WLL)?

[@daviddroescher]

WLL is different for each use case. Do you use a 10:1,5:1 safety ratio or a 3:1to describe the WLL. AND WHAT DID THE MANUFACTURER USE FOR WLL this will be called out by specific task and configuration. Eg lifting, pulling ,and life supporting will have 3 different WLL but 1 MBS

[@jort93z]

Basically, working load limit is just the MBS with a safety factor. MBS will tell you when it breaks at(in the best case). You need to pick which safety factor you feels is good enough for yourself and for your use case. If you are doing a slackline a few inches of the ground, you don't need a safety factor of 10:1. If you have a single rope that'll make you plummet to your death if it snaps, you better have a high safety factor.

[@asldfjkalsdfjasdf]

How about a bowline on a bight? Should have a higher bend radius as well since it wraps around 4 strands of the rope. And of course it will come loose quite easily since it is a bowline

[@christopherstawisky8537]

Can the BFK be done with a dynamic or semi-dynamic rope? Or would that still have too much stretch for the highline itself? I'm wondering if a little strech would allow it to sort of equalize a bit if the direction of pull changes and provide a slightly better PAS at the cliff

[@50StichesSteel]

Just thinking about it, I don't have experience myself, but I think the issue would come in at tensioning the system..You would be adjusting it constantly...Just a guess though

[@HowNOT2]

If it is stretchy then it just equalizes better. Static ropes are stronger and more abrasion resistant though

[@seanchater7032]

Is the Highline Anchors ebook still available? Can't seem to find it on the new website so I was just wondering if it is floating around anywhere?

[@andrewpepin4563]

How does 2 stroke gasoline effect the breaking strength ( not submerged but contact with )

[@trueblue862]

You really need to put the BFK into the slack snap machine and load it to show it in action.

[@FallLineJP]

Missed pun opportunity - How Knot to Highline. Criminal.

[@youriskimo6833]

Hello Would be possible to test the English knot (or Angler's knot) ? Thanks

[@lucasehrler9803]

Would like to see dyneema/nylon with adjustable setup breaktested

[@Jiewicz]

I'm a bit late but... did ryan tested the Adjustable sling ? like, on a climbing deenema sling

[@jessefertitta7784]

Does tying left handed make a difference? My 8's are the same but backwards

[@cannatroll1529]

It the portion of rope that is being hammered even trustworthy after being beaten?

[@marcondespaulo]

I learned the unfinished 9 as "rabiit's ears" in a caving manual. It was recommended to use in anchors. I know caving is a static application, whereas climbing and highligning are dynamic. After seeing so many failed knots and thinking a bit, the unfinished 9 seems inadequate for anchoring. Caving has lots of intereseting knots because of the needed anchor points down the line (pun intended), transitions, etc. I have read more than I've practiced caving, specially Single Rope Techniques.

[@karelvomacka5112]

Hi, is there any picture of how to adjust the length of the sling? I'm trying but still failing to figure it out... And hence it has no name is hard to find ho to do it. Thanks!

[@jenyates3033]

I wonder how much force would have been needed to pull the 'slip knot' loop out of the unfinished nine? If only you had access to a hydraulic pulling machine with a load cell / line scale attached... 🙄

[@HowNOT2]

If only... we didn’t want another 45 minute video 😂. I plan on testing everything when I have drop tower so I can compare that with slow pull

[@mattbaker1683]

Really interesting at 16:15 which from these comments seems to be called a Belgian hitch (or a Voodoo magic hitch) , it'd be great to know how it compares in both nylon and dyneema vs an overhand for a climbing scenario, I suspect it would work better in nylon due to friction on itself. I had a look at your sling test video kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6TOlqeObdyCb6s but it's not there. Can I also ask, do you know from experience if a clove hitched sling reduces the strength to 25%, being 50% reduction for the hitch and 50% reduction for only one strand being in tension? I've seen a few weird and wonderful things and this belgian hitch is wonderful, the double clove hitch is just weird...

[@benmace6865]

Instead of simply pulling with your hands, I find standing on whichever part of the knot I'm trying to pull free then pulling upwards with your arms much more effective than arm strength alone.

[@zandemen]

The direction of pull isn't the only consideration for your boulder. Pulling it uphill doesn't make it safe. For example, with dynamic loading you might move it a tiny bit, release tension and have it take off down the hill, pulling you or your load along with it.

[@Melanie-Shea]

Boulder pull tests please