The explanation I’ve always heard for the sheet bend is that it is used for tying together differently sized ropes. But honestly, every time I’ve tied it, it was fiddly to tie and felt sketchy to actually load. For any actual work that is important or possibly dangerous, I would not use a sheet bend. The double fisherman’s is far more secure. The flat overhand bend is almost as secure (depending on the rope), and fast to tie. If untying after loading is a priority, you can just tie two bowlines with the loops going into each other - back them up with barrel knots if you expect cyclical loading, as this can cause bowlines to slip.
Everyone I know talks about how easy the butterfly is to untie after loading. But then, they are comparing to an overhand or figure 8 on a bight. If being able to untie after loading is a priority, I use the bowline on a bight.
For anyone reading - please do not try to haul anyone up anything using your newfound bowline skills, unless you are in a very safe situation - like, helping someone walk up a steep hill. Hauling unconscious bodies through the air without appropriate precautions can kill or permanently disable a person. Especially don’t do this with cheap Walmart rope that is rated for “trust me bro”. And especially don’t do this if you don’t understand how to preserve your progress, gain mechanical advantage, or lower the victim again safely. Source: rock climber for 15 years, WFR certified, SPRAT certified.
Thanks for the expert advice! I didn’t realize sheet bends were so suspect, I’ll have to research the knots you described.
Hmmm, maybe I tied the butterfly wrong or am remembering it wrong. I’ll have to play with it and see, it’s honestly been a year or two since I’ve put one under load.
And thanks for the disclaimer! Yeah I didn’t mean to make it sound so easy to help someone with knots, I’ve never actually used a bowline for this purpose, I’ve just heard it explained that way for emergency use. But I agree it’d have to be an extreme emergency to risk using the wrong equipment or technique, better to just wait for proper help if it’s safe to do so.
All of my experience is just novice stuff with Paracord, etc etc. My rock climbing experience is all just indoor bouldering 😬
And you are probably tying the butterfly correctly. It’s just easier to untie than an overhand on a bight, which can get absolutely welded under load. But seriously, bowline on a bight is such a sexy knot to untie after loading. It just comes right apart no problem.
The explanation I’ve always heard for the sheet bend is that it is used for tying together differently sized ropes. But honestly, every time I’ve tied it, it was fiddly to tie and felt sketchy to actually load. For any actual work that is important or possibly dangerous, I would not use a sheet bend. The double fisherman’s is far more secure. The flat overhand bend is almost as secure (depending on the rope), and fast to tie. If untying after loading is a priority, you can just tie two bowlines with the loops going into each other - back them up with barrel knots if you expect cyclical loading, as this can cause bowlines to slip.
Everyone I know talks about how easy the butterfly is to untie after loading. But then, they are comparing to an overhand or figure 8 on a bight. If being able to untie after loading is a priority, I use the bowline on a bight.
For anyone reading - please do not try to haul anyone up anything using your newfound bowline skills, unless you are in a very safe situation - like, helping someone walk up a steep hill. Hauling unconscious bodies through the air without appropriate precautions can kill or permanently disable a person. Especially don’t do this with cheap Walmart rope that is rated for “trust me bro”. And especially don’t do this if you don’t understand how to preserve your progress, gain mechanical advantage, or lower the victim again safely. Source: rock climber for 15 years, WFR certified, SPRAT certified.
Thanks for the expert advice! I didn’t realize sheet bends were so suspect, I’ll have to research the knots you described.
Hmmm, maybe I tied the butterfly wrong or am remembering it wrong. I’ll have to play with it and see, it’s honestly been a year or two since I’ve put one under load.
And thanks for the disclaimer! Yeah I didn’t mean to make it sound so easy to help someone with knots, I’ve never actually used a bowline for this purpose, I’ve just heard it explained that way for emergency use. But I agree it’d have to be an extreme emergency to risk using the wrong equipment or technique, better to just wait for proper help if it’s safe to do so.
All of my experience is just novice stuff with Paracord, etc etc. My rock climbing experience is all just indoor bouldering 😬
Thanks again!
No problem.
And you are probably tying the butterfly correctly. It’s just easier to untie than an overhand on a bight, which can get absolutely welded under load. But seriously, bowline on a bight is such a sexy knot to untie after loading. It just comes right apart no problem.
That makes sense, I’ll try the Bowline on a bite and report back! Thanks!