Common whipping (finishing a rope end)

You lay a long bight of twine along the rope end, with the tip of the bight pointing towards the end. Then you wrap the twine tightly around the rope and the bight, turn beside turn, working towards the end. This way the bight gradually disappears under the wraps; only its tip stays free.

At the end you pass the wrapping end through this free bight and pull on the other end of the twine, which sticks out where you started. This draws the bight under the wraps, taking the wrapping end with it. Both twine ends are now clamped under the tight turns. The friction of the many closely fitting turns holds everything in place – just as the wraps themselves hold the rope together.

A good whipping is a narrow, firm band of turns lying close together, without crossing and without gaps. Its width is about the thickness of the rope or a little more. The turns sit so tight that you cannot shift them with a fingernail.

The bight should be drawn about halfway under the wraps – not all the way through. Then trim both twine ends close so that nothing sticks out to catch on things. Only a short piece of the rope end should protrude beyond the whipping; the fibres there are cut cleanly.

The most common mistake is wrapping loosely. Then the whipping slides off the rope end the first time it is used. A second mistake: the bight is pulled right through, and everything comes apart again. A third: twine that is too thick, does not bed down tightly enough and leaves too many gaps.

Even a good common whipping can work loose with heavy wear, for example if the rope end is often pulled through eyelets or dragged over rough surfaces. It then gets thin and loose and slides off. So check rope ends now and then and renew the whipping before the rope starts to fray.

For natural-fibre ropes such as hemp, sisal or cotton, whipping is the most important method, because they cannot be melted. It is also suitable for securing a rope before cutting: if you put a whipping at the cutting point and then cut right beside it, the rope will not unravel even as you cut.

One small drawback: the whipping makes the rope end slightly thicker. If it has to go through a very tight eyelet, that can get in the way. When speed matters, a constrictor knot or tape secures the end temporarily until you have time for a proper whipping.

When whipping, the knife is the biggest risk: always cut twine and rope away from your body on a firm surface. If you melt synthetic ends instead, work outdoors, do not breathe in the fumes, and do not shape the molten end with bare fingers while it is hot – molten plastic sticks to skin and causes burns.

Whipping is an old seafaring technique. Knot books describe many forms, from the common whipping to the more elaborate sailmaker's whipping, which sits even more firmly. For most ropes at camp and at home, the common whipping is quite enough – and it is a nice exercise in patience and neat handwork.