Chain sinnet (daisy chain)

Each new bight is pulled through the previous loop and thereby holds it. The previous loop in turn encloses the new bight. This creates a row of interlinked loops in which each is held only by the next – a chain that holds together exactly as long as the last loop is secured.

If you pass the end through the last loop at the finish, the chain is locked. Take the end back out and pull the rope, and one loop after another slides out until the rope lies straight in front of you again in a short time. Because nothing is wound, there is hardly any twist, and the rope does not tangle.

A good chain looks even, almost like a thick braid. The loops are roughly the same size and each lies flat in the next. At the end, the rope's tail passes through the last loop. If the chain has a lump or a real knot somewhere, a bight was usually pulled through from the wrong side at that point.

Pull each new loop only far enough for the previous one to snug down, not to be strangled. Chains pulled too tight are harder to undo. Finally do the test: take the end out, pull the rope – the chain should come undone without snags or knots. If not, a loop was the wrong way round somewhere.

The chain sinnet is ideal for storing paracord, guylines or cords without tangles and for stowing them in a pack. It is also handy for leaving long guylines shortened on a tent or tarp so they do not drag on the ground. Because it undoes so quickly, the rope is ready for use straight away when needed.

It shortens the rope considerably, but not without limit – on very long ropes the chain stays fairly long, and with thick ropes it becomes bulky. Then the butterfly coil is often better. It is unsuitable for very stiff ropes, because the loops do not lie nicely. And it is not a way to shorten a rope that has to carry load at the same time.

The chain is a storage method. Under load it can tighten unevenly, and an unlocked chain unravels by itself. So pull the rope out completely before using it to hold or pull anything. Typical mistakes are an unlocked last loop, very uneven loop sizes and bights pulled through from the wrong side so that real knots form.

When you pull it out, let the rope run through your hands once and look for damage – it is a good opportunity for a quick visual check. Life-safety use of ropes and knots only after proper training with certified equipment.

The chain sinnet is an old sailor's braid that knot books also list as a decorative knot. In English it is called a chain sinnet or daisy chain; 'sinnet' is an old word for braided cord. Today it is best known as a tidy way to stow lines and cords.

In camp it is the more reliable alternative to the sheepshank when a line only needs to be shorter for a while. A few metres of cord are enough for practice: make a chain, undo it, make it again. After a few rounds you can do it almost without looking.