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Half Hitch - A single hitch made with one end round its own standing part. It is not secure on its own and is usually the beginning of a more elaborate hitch.

Halter Hitch - An excellent hitch for securing a rope to, say, a ring. It is untied simply by taking the end out of the loose bight and pulling it. Ashley states that this knot is used the world over for hitching horses.

Halyards - Definition. Ropes for hoisting sails or yards.

Handcuff Knot - A double loop knot suitable for use for handcuffing a prisoner. One loop is placed round each wrist, both ends pulled tight and then hitched round the neck of the loop. Basically, it is identical to the Fireman's Chair Knot when completed.

Handy Billy - Definition. A small tackle kept handy for small jobs, consisting of two blocks, one with two sheaves (pulleys) and the other with one, ready reeved. The Harvester's Hitch, when used as an emergency tackle, is sometimes incorrectly called a Handy Billy.

Hangman's Knot - This knot needs no definition. It is made with eight or nine turns and not thirteen as is often superstitiously suggested. Apart from its obvious function, it is a useful knot for the end of a lanyard.

Harness Bend - A useful knot for small stuff in tying parcels, bales, etc. as it can be pulled tight and tied while under tension. It will not capsize and is very secure.

Harvester's Hitch - Sometimes also called the Haymaker's Hitch. Used by lorry or truck drivers to secure a load. When a trapaulin is thrown over the load and is being tied down, additional purchase is obtained by the use of this knot and the rope drawn much tighter. The knot is also useful as an emergency tackle when blocks with sheaves are not immediately available.

Hawser - Definition. A plain laid rope, laid up righthanded, large enough (from 5 to 24 inches in circumference) for towing and mooring.

Heaving Line Bend - See Racking Bend.

Heaving Line Knot - Various arrangements are used to provide a weight at the end of a rope which has to be thrown any distance. That shown here is based on the Hangman's Knot and is widely used. The best of the several knots for this purpose is probably the Monkey's Fist.

Highwayman's Hitch - A most useful Draw Hitch for securing a horse, a boat, etc. or in self rescue work. The knot will take any amount of strain on the standing part but spills the moment the end is pulled. Legend has it that Dick Turpin used this knot on his nefarious errands: if in a hurry to escape, he just had to leap on his horse, Black Bess, at the same time snatching the end, when he was away.

Hitch - Definition. A knot which secures a rope to another object such as a post, spar or ring, etc, or, in certain circumstances, another rope, e.g. a Rolling Hitch.

Hoist - Definition. The perpendicular edge of a sail or flag which is next to the mast or flagstaff.

Honda Knot - A knot for making a lasso: it produces the most nearly circular of all loop knots. It is made simply by putting a knotted end through an Overhand Knot. It is sometimes called the Bowstring Knot but present day archers prefer to use the Timber Hitch or else a bowstring with two permanent loops.

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Jar Sling - A knot for slinging or carrying a jug, bottle, har, etc., in fact anythinhg which has some form of lip or restriction. The neck or mouth is placed in the middle of the know and the ends pulled tight. This knot is also of interest since there are at least half-a-dozen separate and distinct ways of tying it.

Jury Mast Knot - Originally used to put a strap round a temporary mast head to which stays could be made fast. Now more likely to be used for decorative purposes or perhaps at camp to hoist a food supply, etc. off the ground.

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Killick Hitch or Kelleg Hitch - This is a Timber Hitch with a Half Hitch added, usually round a large stone or chunk of rock. Used by small ships on bottoms where an anchor might foul: also used for anchoring lobster pots, small boats, etc.

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Lanyard - Definition. a) A small rope for securing the end of a stay. b) A 'handle' for almost anything portable, movable, or losable, e.g. whistles, axes, knives, marlingspikes, etc. Sailors found lanyard making an opportunity for displaying their skill in decorative knotting.

Lashing - Definition. a) Binding two or more objects together, usually spars, by means of turns of rope. b) To secure a movable object by rope to prevent it shifting, as with deck cargo, etc.

Line - Definition. Common name for cordage, also used to make composite nouns such as lifeline, clothesline, fishline, etc.

Linesman's Loop - An excellent loop knot tied in the bight. It is superior to the Man Harness Knot or Middleman's Knot.

Long Splice - A splice which has no apparent thickening of the rope at the points of joining. Used where a rope has to pass through a block, or for endless belts used in lifts and mining applications, etc. Unfortunately, it is impractical to illustrate.

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Magnus Hitch - There is much confusion between the Magnus Hitch and the Rolling Hitch and some authorities consider them to be the same knot. It is sometimes accepted that the Magnus Hitch is the form used on spars while the Rolling Hitch is the form used for hitching one rope to another - generally a smaller one to a larger. In both forms the strain can be taken at an acute angle.

Man Harness Knot - Also called the Artillery Knot. A loop knot tied in the bight through which an arm can be put up to the shoulder to assist in hauling, while leaving the hands free. Formerly used on gun carriages, one end of the rope being fastenend to a ring on the end of the axle.

Man Rope Knot - A multi-strand knot in the end of a rope consisting of a Double Wall and Double Crown. Tied in the end of manropes and sideropes to provide a hand hold. It was properly made in four-strand rope and was often canvas covered.

Marlingspike - Definition. A metal tool with a knobbed head and tapering to a point. Used for tightening seizing, etc., and for opening strands when splicing. The knobbed end is used for pounding.

Marlingspike Hitch - A temporay hitch made with a Marlingspike, or a tent peg, etc., when extra strain is needed to heave a small rope taut, as, for example, the turns of lashings or seizings. Also used on occasion in Sheepshanks or Harvester's Hitch.

Matthew Walker and Double Matthew Walker -Probably the best and most useful of the multi- strand rope end knots. It is claimed that the unknown Matthew Walker is the only man to have a knot named after him.

Middleman's Knot - Also called the Englishman's Loop (in America) the Fisherman's or Angler's Loop, and it is one of the several knots known as True Lover's Knot. It is a useful loop knot tied in the bight by one of at least four different methods. Once much used for the middleman on a rope in climbing, but now superseded for this purpose by better knots such as the Alpine Butterfly.

Midshipman's Hitch - An excellent hitch that can be temporarily or permanently made. When used to make a loop, it can be slid to adjust the loop for size. A good knot to know if you have fallen in the sea and a rope is tossed to you. Also useful as a Guyline Hitch or to substitute for a broken slider on a guyline. It is identical in form to the Rolling Hitch.

Monkey's Fist - A knob knot at the end of a rope, usually made round a pebble or ball of lead, etc. It is the best heaving line knot, the heavy core in the knot giving it the weight to carry the mass of the line when thrown.

Mousing a Hook - If an appreciable load is to be on a block the hook should be 'moused'. This strengthens the hook and at the same time prevents the rope from jumping out. A 'mouse' is also raised on a particular rope to prevent anything slipping off: in this case the diameter of the rope at the particular place is increased by building up with turns and riding turns.

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Noose - Definition. A loop which is made with the end round its own standing part in such a way that it draws tight when hauled upon. Often erroneously callled a slip knot.

Noose - Simple - The Simple Noose or Noose Knot is simply an Overhand Knot but with the final tuck made with a bight instead of an end.. A Noose made with a base of the Figure-of- Eight Knot is to be preferred. See also the Running Bowline.

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Overhand Bend - Also called the Thumb Knot. Expedient as a bend, secure but weakening to the rope. It is the knot tied by a mechanical binder.

Overhand Knot - Also called the Simple Knot, Common Knot, Thumb Knot, etc. It is the simplest knot form, secure but weakening the rope considerably and should only be used in small stuff. The Figure-of- Eight Knot is to be preferred.

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Portuguese Bowline - There is some doubt as to which is the Portuguese and which is the French Bowline, or whether they are they same knot. Ashley gives the one shown here. It is an excellent double knot for rescue work or as a Boatswain's Chair, made in the end of the rope.

Prusik Knot - A knot used by climbers. It is made with a strop (endless loop, either spliced or tied) round the main climbing rope and the loop clipped into a karabiner on the climber's waist band. It can be loosened and slid along the rope to vary its position.

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Quipus - The Incas in Peru built and goverend well a huge empire but never discovered the art of reading and writing. They evolved, however, a decimal system of numbers by which records of every conceivable nature were kept. This decimal system was operated by means of knots on lengths of cord of various colours which were known as Quipus.

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