the.com/clove hitch
two loops and a tuck that holds fast yet frees in a heartbeat
means A simple knot made by passing a rope twice around a post or pole so it grips under tension but unties quickly when slack.
from The 'clove' here has nothing to do with the spice or the garlic; it's the old past tense of 'cleave,' meaning to split or divide — the same word that gives us a 'cloven' hoof. The hitch was named for the way the rope appears split or doubled around the post, with the two turns sitting apart. 'Clove hitch' shows up in English nautical writing by the early 18th century, the language of sailors who lived and died by knots.
- binary knot
- essentially two half-hitches stacked the same direction
- slips loose
- can roll and fail under steady rotating loads
- climber staple
- adjustable on a carabiner without untying it
- old name
- once called the builder's knot for scaffolding
- quick release
- loosens instantly once tension comes off
clove hitch on carabiners — climbing anchor knot that secures a rope to a carabiner with two wraps, standard in rock climbing since the 1970s
clove hitch on poles — traditional maritime knot used to secure ropes to cylindrical posts on ships and docks worldwide