Knot terminology

Every knot instruction first distinguishes two parts: the working end and the standing part. The working end is the part you move, tuck and lead around. The standing part is the rest of the rope – often the part that will be pulled on later. In the atlas diagrams the working end is drawn orange and the standing part sandstone so you don't mix them up.

Many mistakes start right here: swap the two parts and you get a mirrored or entirely different knot that may look similar but holds differently. When practising, always be aware which end is 'working' and which is 'standing'. It helps to lay the standing part on a table at first and move only the working end.

Sometimes a knot is tied not at the end but in the middle of the rope. This is called tying it 'in the bight' or 'on a bight': instead of the end, a doubled section of rope is used. That is handy when the end can't be reached or when something is already attached to both ends.

A bight is a U-shaped fold of rope whose two legs do not cross – like a hairpin. A loop is formed when the legs do cross. It matters which part is on top: with the working end lying over the standing part it is an overhand loop; with it underneath, an underhand loop. In knots like the bowline exactly this difference decides whether the knot holds or falls apart when you tighten it.

A turn takes the rope once around an object, such as a branch. A round turn goes fully around the object so the rope encircles it completely. The round turn has more contact with the object and therefore more friction. A half hitch, finally, is a turn in which the end is led around the standing part and tucked under itself – the building block of many hitches.

Other words you will meet: 'nip' (one part of the rope is pressed firmly against another), 'capsize' (the knot flips under load into a different, usually weaker shape) and 'slipped' (a bight is tucked instead of the end so the knot comes undone with a single pull).

A knot does not hold because it is 'tied shut' but through friction and nipping. Where rope runs over rope or over an object, friction resists slipping. Where one part of the rope nips another, the friction at that point becomes especially strong. The further the rope wraps around something, the more the braking effect grows – that's why a round turn grips better than a single turn.

This also explains why the same knot holds differently in different ropes: grippy, soft rope creates a lot of friction, slick, stiff rope very little. And it explains why rope is weaker at a knot than in a straight run: in tight curves the fibres are loaded unevenly. The atlas deliberately gives no exact figures for this because they depend heavily on rope, condition and test method.

A knot comes about in three steps. First it is tied, meaning the rope is led as instructed. Then it is dressed: all turns lie neatly side by side, nothing is twisted, parallel strands do not cross. Finally it is set by pulling evenly on all ends until it sits compactly.

An undressed, loosely left knot is one of the most common sources of failure: under load it can deform, capsize or shake loose with movement. The tail matters just as much. Always leave a tail several rope diameters long so it can't slip back through the knot while setting or under load.

Finally you check the knot: does it look like the illustration? Do the strands run over and under each other as described? Is the tail long enough? That is why the atlas describes every knot by its rope path – it is more reliable than a name.

Most knot names come from seafaring and are not consistent. The same knot may have different regional names, and a name can mean a different knot depending on the book. Reference works such as The Ashley Book of Knots have brought a lot of order, but when in doubt rely on the described rope path.

Sorting knots into families helps: stopper knots bulk up a rope end, binding knots hold a bundle together, bends join two ropes, hitches attach a rope to an object, and loop knots form a fixed or adjustable eye. Knowing a knot's family already tells you a lot about what it is meant for – and what not.

None of the knots in this atlas is meant for life-safety use – not for climbing, abseiling, rescue or holding and lifting people. Life-safety use only after proper training with certified equipment.