Figure of eight knot (loop)

Figure eight knot
Type	loop
application	Rope knot
Ashley No.	531, 1047
strength	approx. 63%
Synonyms	Eight knot, double eight knot, eight knot loop, Flemish loop
English	Figure-eight loop
List of nodes

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Video tutorial

The figure of eight is used to tie a particularly secure loop .

history

The figure eight knot is taught today by all alpine organizations ( DAV , ÖAV , SAC , J + S, mountain rescue), as well as by all rescue organizations (DRK, ÖRK, SRK, fire brigade, THW, mountain rescue, water rescue, DLRG, SLRG, disaster control). For climbing competitions of the DAV, roping up with figure eight is mandatory.

Until the 1980s, the figure eight was virtually unknown in the alpine area. In the past, mountaineers used the spar stitch and the sack stitch as rope knots , and the double rescue sling or a “ seat sling ” as a “climbing harness ”.

application

The figure of eight serves as a particularly secure loop.

The decisive factor is the high knot strength : the rope retains 63% of its tear strength . The figure of eight is therefore superior to almost any other loop knot. At the same time, the figure eight knot can easily be loosened again even after high or multiple loads, such as those that occur when climbing. Both are important in climbing and make it an ideal rope knot .

The double figure eight knot plays almost no role in seafaring . Instead, the bowline is used as a fixed loop for almost all applications, as it can be tied faster and is easy to loosen even after the greatest load. Exception: A bosun's chair is tied to the halyard with a double figure eight if someone is to be pulled into the mast. On the other hand, sailors usually understand the figure of eight knot to be the figure of eight .

On the climbing harness

The figure of eight is used in climbing and rescue operations as a secure connection between climbing rope and climbing harness . A figure-eight knot is tied in the end of the rope so that about one meter of rope end remains free. This end of the rope is now pulled through the tie-in loop attached to the climbing harness, and then threaded back parallel to the figure eight knot. This form is also called a tied in or plugged figure-eight knot (see below ).

Caution : Always tie the figure eight knot directly in the climbing harness, especially when leading and when walking or skiing in a rope team ( never a carabiner in between, because this often leads to severe head, jaw and tooth injuries in the event of a fall. In addition, the breaking load of the The safety chain is considerable due to possible transverse loading in the carabiner).

Exception : In some climbing halls, the figure eight knot of top rope ropes is secured with shrink tubing so that inexperienced climbers do not open the knot and tie it back together incorrectly. If the figure eight knot cannot be tied directly into the climbing harness in this way, it is advisable to connect it using two opposing carabiners or a self-locking or secured locking carabiner such as Ball Lock carabiners from Petzl or Belay Master from DMM. When climbing in the lead, such a combination is life-threatening.

On the snap hook

Not like this:
figure eight with screw carabiner

The figure eight knot is often used by fire and rescue services or in the army and in the building trade as a connection between rope and specially shaped safety snap hooks , because the figure eight knot is easy to check visually, the rope weakens comparatively little and therefore has a high breaking strength. The prerequisites are specially shaped carabiners, which exclude transverse loads and ideally have a self-locking locking mechanism. Normal screw carabiners (as in the picture) have opened by themselves during use and have led to fatal accidents.

Knot

twisted bay

Figure eight knot

Placed

Create a bay , lay a second bay with the now double rope, twist it twice, and put the first bay through the eye of the double twisted second bay. The right picture emerges when drawn.

The inserted double eight knot begins with an "end eight"

Then the end of the rope is led back completely along the end eight (here still unfinished (with the end of the rope too short)).

Plugged in

The figure-of-eight knot is tied for use on the climbing harness (see above ): You make a loose figure-eight knot in the end of a rope so that a one-meter-long end of the rope remains free. This free end is passed through the tie-in loop of the climbing harness. And then exactly follow the knot at the end (now backwards), then you get a figure eight knot (a "double figure eight knot with loop"). The rope is to the right of the knot in the row of images, the loop is on the left.

Alternatives

• In addition to the figure eight knot, the DAV also recommends the double bulin as a rope knot, which is easier to open after loading.
• The Bulin 1.5 achieves maximum knot strength and is easier to loosen after loading, but more difficult to control visually.
• The butterfly knot is suitable for a loop in the middle of a rope .
• If the knot is not to be used for climbing or for other safety purposes, but simply a tight loop is needed, the bowline is recommended. In seafaring it is considered a universal strap. If the rope cannot be laid over the object, the bowline can be tied faster than the figure-eight knot and it is always easy to undo.

See also : List of nodes

Modifications

Double figure eight knot for use in the middle of the rope

Nine-knot before closing

Rabbit ear knot. (Left starting position, right finished knot.)

Variant with three loops. (The exaggeratedly long loop in the right knot is the "working bay" with which the knot is made.)

• If the figure eight knot is tied with a second rope, a connecting knot is created, which is also called a figure eight knot .
• Simply tied, it is also called an eight knot and serves as a thickening at the end of a rope.
• If you turn the double loop only once when knotting, the sack stitch is created .
• Turning the double loop during knotting once again caused Neuner node . It is slightly larger and has a less distinct appearance, but it does not contract as much under stress.
• If two loops are needed, the bay is only pushed halfway through the almost finished knot and the bay that is still sticking out is pulled down over the "smaller" two bays, placed up on the "head of the 8" and finally tightened (Ashley # 1085). Industrial climbers call this knot the rabbit-ear knot. The double bowline , for example, offers similar two loops .
• The rabbit's ear knot can also be varied to create additional loops. It begins as with the two-loop knot, but the bay is not laid down over the two bays, but backwards again, over the "head of the 8" back to the two existing bays. The rest of the process as usual, arrange and tighten the individual loops.
• So many multiple loops can be made from the combination of two loops and three loops (repeated looping, use a very long bay as a starting point!), But these only make sense with Scoubidou and macramé . For example as a “peacock wheel” with more than eight loops.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Clifford W. Ashley: The Ashley Book of Knots . Translated by Gerhard Meyer-Uhl. Edition Maritim, Hamburg 1999, ISBN 3-922117-37-6 , pp. 97 (# 531) (Original title: The Ashley Book of Knots .).
2. ↑ Clifford W. Ashley: The Ashley Book of Knots . Translated by Gerhard Meyer-Uhl. Edition Maritim, Hamburg 1999, ISBN 3-922117-37-6 , pp. 200 (# 1047) (Original title: The Ashley Book of Knots .).
3. ^ German Alpine Association (Ed.): Climbing National Rules . 2015, p. 25, 52 ( PDF [accessed July 30, 2015]).
4. ↑ Duncan Wells; Stress-free sailing ; Delius Klasing Verlag; Bielefeld 2016; ISBN 978-3-667-10390-1 ; Pages 28f
5. ↑ Clifford Ashley: Ashley Book of Knots . Number 1085.
6. ↑ Rabbit- ear knot In: professional climbing center. Retrieved October 10, 2016 .