the.com/reef knot
Two loops that trust each other completely, until you pull sideways and they don't.
means A simple, symmetrical knot used to join two ends of rope of similar thickness, made of two overhand knots tied in opposition.
from The name comes from sailing: this knot was used to 'reef' a sail — tying up part of it to reduce its area in high wind. Sailors needed a knot they could tie and untie quickly and reliably even when wet and under strain, which is exactly what this knot offers — and exactly why it fails if you pull it the wrong way, collapsing into a useless slip rather than holding fast. It's also called a square knot, a name that points to its flat, symmetrical shape rather than its original use.
- real name
- square knot in most of the world
- origin
- sailors used it to reef, or shorten, sails
- fatal flaw
- slips apart under sideways or uneven load
- not for
- climbing or joining two different rope sizes