UKC

I had the pleasure recently of climbing with a partner who looks so cool and snazzy as he ties into bowline not letting go of either end. Still trying to learn this one.

I was taught how to do a clove hitch and munter hitch (Italian hitch) single-handedly by placing the rope through a krab, taking the rear thread then bringing to the front and twisting it at the same time placing into the krab. A half-twist does a munter and a full twist does a clove hitch (hopefully that is explained reasonably clearly, sorry if not!).

The Alpine Butterfly can also be done quite neatly and easily (as mentioned in another recent thread) by wrapping the rope (soz, not going to explain this one for now) three times around one's hand then threading one loop through another.

The great advantage in these ways of completing knots are that they are easier to tie this way using thick gloves and in the cold. Single-handed knots mean that it is possible to use one hand for tying and the other hand for something else useful such as holding on or balancing.

Anyone else know any similarly easy ways to do specific knots (I do understand that different people may prefer different methods and may actually not prefer the methods partially described above).

In reply to Wotcha: Just found a one-handed Bowline
http://www.animatedknots.com/bowlineonehand/index.php

In reply to Wotcha: And the butterfly that I was too lazy to describe. Well, the animation is better than the description

http://www.animatedknots.com/alpinebutterfly/index.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.j...

One picture being worth a 1000 words etc

In reply to Wotcha:
There is a one handed variant of the flying figure 8 knot trick which looks pretty cool. Can't find a clip of it but the two handed variant should give you an idea of how it is done.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0si2vKVk24&feature=related

In reply to Reach>Talent: Does that make it a flying figure 4 knot if it is one-handed?

In reply to Wotcha:

That way of tying the clove hitch can be useful, for example when getting sorted at small, restricted stances. An Italian hitch can be done in the same way, although I've never needed to.

The one-handed bowline is less useful, although it's not hard to think of unlikely (but not impossible) scenarios where it would be handy - hanging on with one hand after an unroped tumble (with no harness on) part-way down a cliff, for example.

Neither method is difficult - easily learnt with a few minutes practice. However, most climbers can't be bothered, which is understandable.

In reply to bpmclimb: I use the one-handed Munter mostly on occasions of direct belay on small ledge etc. But even then I am usually secured on.

In reply to bpmclimb:
One handed bowline is a useful one for scrambling as it enables you to tie onto the end of the rope without having a harness on when things go pear shaped.

In reply to Wotcha:

The one handed overhand knot is pretty much essential to tie off threads on the lead. Beeston Tor is prime territory for this sort of thing.

In reply to Wotcha:

One handed clove hitches and Italian are especially useful in winter or on long alpine routes...
If you clip into running belay it can quickly and easily be converted to a belay or a friction hitch by a deft twist and flick of the wrist.

On an ice route place the ice crew clip it and clove it - takes seconds as opposed to minutes faffing about with gloves and leashes.

On a bolted belay station clip it and clove it - again it takes seconds.
If you are on a 20 pitch route this one act could save an hour!

Well worth learning

In reply to Wotcha: a one-handed figure of eight is easy enough with a bit of practice.

got to do something in huts...

In reply to Tobias at Home: Heh Heh! So you tie knots with one-hand?

I'm not going to reply with the possibilities here. I'm already falling off my chair!

ok - That is now my best laugh of today!

In reply to Wotcha:

Here's a quicker & better way (so, ... 500 words?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeKLU_6NLv4

Conceivably, one could work up a single-handed method from this one.

*kN*

In reply to knudeNoggin: This has been a really useful thread! Thanks, I am going to pop along and take a gander now...