Knot of the Week: Slipped Slipknot

As you might tell by my ostensible "knot of the week" not coming out every week, I haven't had much time lately to play with my string. As a result all I have to share here is a variation on the slipknot. Although the difference is slight, the "slipped slipknot" is a much sexier and much more useful knot.

The slipped slipknot is especially handy when working with stiff rope, or when a normal slip knot isn't biting well. This knot will cling tightly against pressure (although I would certainly not trust it with my life!) and untie with a tug.

The knot is easy to tie. Wrap your rope around something fixed. It's easiest if one end is tensioned. I find it convenient to tie one end around a belt loop, but it's not critical. Pass a loop over the standing end (the end that's tensioned) and a bight under it.

Now just pass the bight through the loop and tighten it up carefully. Pulling on one end should cinch the knot up, pulling on the other should untie it.

If this knot is not working for you then you're probably passing the bight through the wrong side of the loop. Try going through the top instead of the bottom or the bottom instead of the top OR change the way you twist the rope to make the loop. Either way should fix your problem.

Once you've got it I recommend testing it out with both the left side and the right side as the standing end until it comes naturally.