What knot to use for a clothesline between posts with eyehooks?
July 7, 2022 9:47 AM Subscribe
There are a few sturdy posts with multiple thick eyehooks for clotheslines in an apartment backyard. The lines are gone but the posts and eyehooks (aligned parallel to the ground so the holes face up/down) are doing great. What knot would you use to string new cotton clothesline between the eyehooks? I'm not a knot person, sadly, so any links to instructions or videos would be great. Thanks!
Best answer: alternately, a clove hitch on each end is simple to tie, easy to untie, and easy to adjust. it won't get taut like the tautline hitch though. knots are fun and versatile! definitely learn the bowline for future reference.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 9:57 AM on July 7, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 9:57 AM on July 7, 2022 [2 favorites]
Best answer: If you want the most tension, I would do a Trucker's Hitch on one end and a bowline on the other.
posted by sol at 10:19 AM on July 7, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by sol at 10:19 AM on July 7, 2022 [4 favorites]
I wouldn't string a cotton clothesline because cotton will rot in the sun. Instead, I would use (and have used for my own clothes line) 4mm stainless steel wire rope, terminated in loops made with crimped ferrules and tensioned with a turnbuckle. It's been up for ten years now and looks essentially new.
posted by flabdablet at 10:34 AM on July 7, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by flabdablet at 10:34 AM on July 7, 2022 [3 favorites]
I love knots! And while I love a good tautline hitch for a tent string or temporary clothesline, for a permanent clothesline, I agree with sol about the trucker's hitch and bowline. Tie the bowline first, then use the trucker's hitch to take up the slack and to hold tension on the line.
posted by hhc5 at 10:35 AM on July 7, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by hhc5 at 10:35 AM on July 7, 2022 [2 favorites]
Best answer: My favorite resource for learning to tie knots is Animated Knots, they have click-by-click instructions, discussion of strengths and weaknesses, and links to related knots. A Midshipman's Hitch is easy to learn and will do what you want. To make it secure, adjust the tension and continue the end of the line around one more time for a second half hitch. Relatively easy.
Sure, if you want the capital-R right knot, it's bowline to trucker's hitch. Tons of tension, won't come untied unless someone unties it, perfect. But that's two knots, and the trucker's hitch is a bit tricky because you can't tell if it's right or wrong by looking at it. A bit of slack is no big deal in a clothesline.
posted by wnissen at 12:20 PM on July 7, 2022 [2 favorites]
Sure, if you want the capital-R right knot, it's bowline to trucker's hitch. Tons of tension, won't come untied unless someone unties it, perfect. But that's two knots, and the trucker's hitch is a bit tricky because you can't tell if it's right or wrong by looking at it. A bit of slack is no big deal in a clothesline.
posted by wnissen at 12:20 PM on July 7, 2022 [2 favorites]
If you want to blow off knots, you can use wire rope and these: clothesline tensioners
posted by ivanthenotsoterrible at 1:27 PM on July 7, 2022
posted by ivanthenotsoterrible at 1:27 PM on July 7, 2022
Response by poster: Thanks, y'all. It never would have occurred to me to use different knots at either end, and I love the idea of adjustable knots that slide up and down the line. A minute or two taught me the clove hitch and the bowline and another couple of minutes got me the midshipman's hitch, but the trucker's hitch is trickier. I'll keep at it. This is fun, and only occasionally frustrating. A lot of the instructions seem to assume you know basic terminology, which I don't so it slows me down.
wnissen, is your suggestion to use a midshipman's hitch at each eyehook, or a bowline and midshipman's knot at different ends?
flabdablet, the clothesline has already been bought but I'll keep that in mind for the next round. I'd heard cotton was easiest on the clothes and a few families will be using these lines.
posted by mediareport at 4:39 PM on July 7, 2022
wnissen, is your suggestion to use a midshipman's hitch at each eyehook, or a bowline and midshipman's knot at different ends?
flabdablet, the clothesline has already been bought but I'll keep that in mind for the next round. I'd heard cotton was easiest on the clothes and a few families will be using these lines.
posted by mediareport at 4:39 PM on July 7, 2022
Yeah, knots are one of those things where once you have tied a knot 50 times, it becomes almost automatic. Which is good, because when you're tired and it's raining and you have to tie 8 bowlines or whatever, you can't be learning it again on your phone. People who know a bunch of knots tend to tie them so fast and use so much jargon it's very difficult for the beginner to follow.
If you can do a bowline and a midshipman's hitch, I would do that. The bowline will hold very well but can't be tied tightly. The hitch will take up the slack and allow you to add a decent amount of tension. To keep it from slipping, continue the finishing half hitch around again to make a second half hitch. It's easier to see in pictures. If that's not tight enough, then you do want to replace the midshipman with the trucker's hitch. The mechanical advantage will give you as much or as little tension as you want.
I keep a small length of cord at work and practice knots in boring meetings. A bit harder to practice the trucker's hitch, but try using it to lash chairs together.
posted by wnissen at 5:40 PM on July 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
If you can do a bowline and a midshipman's hitch, I would do that. The bowline will hold very well but can't be tied tightly. The hitch will take up the slack and allow you to add a decent amount of tension. To keep it from slipping, continue the finishing half hitch around again to make a second half hitch. It's easier to see in pictures. If that's not tight enough, then you do want to replace the midshipman with the trucker's hitch. The mechanical advantage will give you as much or as little tension as you want.
I keep a small length of cord at work and practice knots in boring meetings. A bit harder to practice the trucker's hitch, but try using it to lash chairs together.
posted by wnissen at 5:40 PM on July 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
Side note: ‘bowline’ rhymes with ‘stolen.’ It would be a shame to learn a bunch of cool new knots only to have some Cub Scout snicker at your pronunciation.
posted by box at 6:09 PM on July 7, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by box at 6:09 PM on July 7, 2022 [2 favorites]
« Older Are current versions of Covid causing coughing? | Millions of Cherries, What Could They Be? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by box at 9:54 AM on July 7, 2022 [6 favorites]