Slipped Knots

A one inch diameter gray pole crosses the frame vertically. A single blue rope enters from the left and is tied to the pole using a slipped from of two half hitches. The tail of the rope exits the top of the knot next to the pole, and a four inch bight of rope exits the bottom of the knot in the middle.

Slipped knots are modified versions of standard knots that are easier to untie. The usual way to slip a knot is to tie a half hitch in a bight of the rope rather than in the rope itself.

Slipped Knots

Standard two half hitches

A one inch gray pole crosses the frame vertically. A blue rope enters from the left and goes over the pole, doubles back under it, crosses over the standing part, under the standing part, and over itself, making a half hitch around the pole.

1Make a 180° turn around the pole.

Tie a half hitch around the standing part.

The half hitch has been pulled snug against the pole. The end of the rope crosses over the standing part, under the standing part, and over itself, to make a second half hitch.

2Snug the first half hitch tight against the pole.

Tie a second half hitch around the standing part.

Slipped two half hitches

A one inch gray pole crosses the frame vertically. A green rope enters from the left and goes over the pole, doubles back under it, and crosses over the standing part. To this point, it looks exactly like a standard half hitch. But now, instead of passing the end of the rope under the standing part and over itself, the end of the rope is folded into a twelve inch bight bight and the bight crosses under the standing part and over the rope that passed under the pole. We are effectively tying a half hitch in the bight.

1Make a 180° turn around the pole.

Make a long bight in the working end and tie it in a half hitch around the standing part.

The bight now crosses over the standing part, under the standing part, and over itself, making a second half hitch.

2Snug the first half hitch tight against the pole.

Tie the bight in another half hitch around the standing part.

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