Knots / Ropework book?

G

G12

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 Jun 2010
Messages
956
Location
West Cornwall
Visit site
Hi guys,

Can anyone recommend a really good book on knots, splices and general ropework? I want just one onboard that covers everything. Something with decent pictures/diagrams perhaps....
There is a quite good one by Geoff Toghill but it doesn't cover modern rope types unfortunately.
I
 
For modern ropes you probably want the rigging handbook by Brian Toss.

For traditional rope work I've not seen better than the spencer book of knots splices and fancy work by Charles spencer.
 
Mariner69 said:
What happened to Ashleys?
Click to expand...

Have you ever read it?

It has an awful lot of knots in it (though not as many as often claimed, because some of the numbers refer to things most of us wouldn't call knots), and has been enshrined with a certain authority, but it's a terrible source for actually learning anything. Many of the entries are just a single small picture of the finished knot, no step-by-step instructions.

I have a copy in my downstairs loo; it's not useful enough to keep on the boat.

Pete
 
prv said:
Have you ever read it?

It has an awful lot of knots in it (though not as many as often claimed, because some of the numbers refer to things most of us wouldn't call knots), and has been enshrined with a certain authority, but it's a terrible source for actually learning anything. Many of the entries are just a single small picture of the finished knot, no step-by-step instructions.

I have a copy in my downstairs loo; it's not useful enough to keep on the boat.

Pete
Click to expand...

I the early 70's at Warsash the Maccrami (sp?) class used to use it as a guide for things like sennets and ocean plaits. Made a belt for my then girl friend and now SWMBO.
 
G12 said:
Hi guys,

Can anyone recommend a really good book on knots, splices and general ropework? I want just one onboard that covers everything. Something with decent pictures/diagrams perhaps....
There is a quite good one by Geoff Toghill but it doesn't cover modern rope types unfortunately.
I
Click to expand...
Best one I've come across was the "Shell Book of Knots and Decorative Ropework". It is, I think, out of print and definitely pre UHDPE.
 
charles_reed said:
Only Budworths most recent book "Knots Step by Step" covers modern ropes.
Click to expand...
Looks interesting, but perhaps out of print as very expensive: http://amzn.to/1E91CL3

The good news is that it appears his new book, A Practical Guide to Tying Knots being released on 8 December (just in time for Xmas) is an update or reprint of this older book. The text on the cover reads the same, same number of pages etc.

See http://amzn.to/13r4Egt
 
Last edited:
prv said:
Have you ever read it?

It has an awful lot of knots in it (though not as many as often claimed, because some of the numbers refer to things most of us wouldn't call knots), and has been enshrined with a certain authority, but it's a terrible source for actually learning anything. Many of the entries are just a single small picture of the finished knot, no step-by-step instructions.

I have a copy in my downstairs loo; it's not useful enough to keep on the boat.

Pete
Click to expand...

You're reading a different version to the one I've got - every knot has full instructions how to tie it, though the instructions MAY require that you've read a lot of the rest of the book! I suspect you're thinking of those knots where he simply gives a diagram and a picture of the finished knot - but those knots are intended to be tied using techniques described earlier in the chapter.

Ashley is the definitive guide to history and traditional usage; Ashley "collected" most of the material from the last bastion of working sail, the whaling industry of Nantucket, and also has extensive references to other sources such as old seamanship manuals. Not so useful for knots designed for modern ropes, and of course he doesn't have splices for ropes of modern construction. I understand that there are updates to cover these matters, but my copy is from the 1960s!

If you really want a comprehensive guide to knotting and splicing, then Ashley is the basic reference you need, supplemented by a few more modern texts that cover splicing modern ropes and knots that are designed for use with modern ropes - which are actually rather few and far between; most of the knots used for silk are fine!
 
AntarcticPilot said:
You're reading a different version to the one I've got - every knot has full instructions how to tie it, though the instructions MAY require that you've read a lot of the rest of the book! I suspect you're thinking of those knots where he simply gives a diagram and a picture of the finished knot - but those knots are intended to be tied using techniques described earlier in the chapter.

Ashley is the definitive guide to history and traditional usage; Ashley "collected" most of the material from the last bastion of working sail, the whaling industry of Nantucket, and also has extensive references to other sources such as old seamanship manuals. Not so useful for knots designed for modern ropes, and of course he doesn't have splices for ropes of modern construction. I understand that there are updates to cover these matters, but my copy is from the 1960s!

If you really want a comprehensive guide to knotting and splicing, then Ashley is the basic reference you need, supplemented by a few more modern texts that cover splicing modern ropes and knots that are designed for use with modern ropes - which are actually rather few and far between; most of the knots used for silk are fine!
Click to expand...
You need a lot of patience for learning knots through Ashley's. True it is the definitive work on the topic but if you want to know how to tie the majority of the most common and necessary knots then there are much better books out there that are infinitely clearer in their instructions and diagrams.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top