– How To Tie This Useful Knot
Alright today on Repairs101 I’m going to show you how to tie a Monkey’s Fist. Which is a fairly easy knot to tie. That you can use for anything from a heaving line to a toy for your cat or dog to chase.
Preface
I caught a lot of flack over the editing of this video. Having just switched to a new video editing software SONY Vegas. I had no idea how fast some sections would appear in the final product. Plus I was hell-bent on making sure my videos weren’t so slow paced that viewers clicked away out of boredom. But clearly I overcompensated. For a better look at the process of making this knot have a look at my follow up video Monkey Fist Knot Dog & Cat Toy
Knot as difficult as it looks
Before getting started I suggest you get your hands on an awl or a marlinspike or a small screwdriver anyway. Select your rope and prepare the ends. You can tie this knot with laid rope or braid rope.
Make peace
Start by taking three wraps around two fingers held apart like a peace sign. Then turn inward around one side of the wraps for a change of direction. And take three more wraps perpendicular to the first three. Then another turn and another change of direction will get you set up to weave in the last three wraps. This time I’ve tied a longish tail on it that you could tie or braid to the other end. I like to tie a half hitch into it and work it underneath. And make it the core of the Monkey’s Fist. Especially if it’s going to be a cat toy that gets thrown around indoors. Then you just want to work the slack out of it as best you can. Until you can pull the slack out of it at the tail.
Toys
Heaving line
This one’s polypropylene rope so it should float. Handy if you need to get a line to someone on a dock or another boat. If you’re hanging a food cache your heaving line’s going to need a heavy steel three-quarter inch ball bearing. Once you’ve got whatever core you’re going to use inside… You want to meticulously pull out all the slack from the short end to the standing line. Anything other than a knot core will make it difficult to tuck the tail in. And will require an awl and some patience.
You know, after only a few attempts… You should be able to tie a Monkey’s Fist from start to finish in only about five minutes. Alright thanks for watching and don’t forget to subscribe!
