The figure-eight knot or figure-of-eight knot is a type of

stopper knot A stopper knot (or simply stopper) is a knot that creates a fixed thicker point on an otherwise-uniform thickness rope for the purpose of preventing the rope, at that point, from slipping through a narrow passage, such as a hole in a block. To pa ...

. It is very important in

sailing Sailing employs the wind—acting on sails, wingsails or kites—to propel a craft on the surface of the ''water'' (sailing ship, sailboat, raft, Windsurfing, windsurfer, or Kitesurfing, kitesurfer), on ''ice'' (iceboat) or on ''land'' (Land sa ...

rock climbing Rock climbing is a climbing sports discipline that involves ascending climbing routes, routes consisting of natural rock in an outdoor environment, or on artificial resin climbing walls in a mostly indoor environment. Routes are documented in c ...

and

caving Caving, also known as spelunking (United States and Canada) and potholing (United Kingdom and Ireland), is the recreational pastime of exploring wild cave systems (as distinguished from show caves). In contrast, speleology is the scientific ...

as a method of stopping ropes from running out of retaining devices. Like the

overhand knot The overhand knot is one of the most fundamental knots, and it forms the basis of many others, including the simple noose, overhand loop, angler's loop, reef knot, fisherman's knot, half hitch, and water knot. The overhand knot is a stoppe ...

, which will jam under strain, often requiring the rope to be cut, the figure-eight will also jam, but is usually more easily undone than the overhand knot. Figure eight knot

The stevedore knot is an extension of simple figure-eight knot with an additional turn before the end is finally tightened.

Different types

Figure-eight loop

The figure-eight loop is used like an overhand loop knot. This type of knot can be used in prusik climbing when used in conjunction with a

climbing harness A climbing harness is a piece of equipment that allows a climber to tie in (climbing), tie in to the safety of a rope. It is used in climbing, rock and ice climbing, ice climbing, abseiling, and lowering; this is in contrast to other activities r ...

, a climbing rope, and locking

carabiner A carabiner or karabiner (), often shortened to biner or to crab, colloquially known as a (climbing) clip, is a specialized type of shackle, a metal loop with a spring-loaded gate used to quickly and reversibly connect components, most notabl ...

designed for climbing, to ascend or descend with minimal equipment and effort.

Figure-eight bend

The figure-eight bend knot is used to " splice" together two ropes, not necessarily of equal diameter. This knot is tied starting with a loose figure-eight knot on one rope (the larger-diameter one if unequal), and threading of the other rope's running end through the first figure eight, starting at the first figure-eight's running end and paralleling the path of the first rope through the figure eight until the second's ropes running end lies parallel against first's standing end. The result is two figure-eight knots, each partly inside the other and tightening its hold on the other when they are pulled in opposite directions. This can be a permanent or temporary splice. While it precludes the ropes' slipping relative to each other, it is a typical knot in having less strength than the straight ropes.

Offset figure-eight bend

The offset figure-eight bend is a poor knot that has been implicated in the deaths of several rock climbers.

Stein knot

The stein knot (also known as a stone knot) is a variation of the figure-eight knot. It is used to secure a rope that is already passed around a post or through a ring. It is quick and easy to tie and untie. It is a device rigging rather than a true knot. In canyoneering, it is used to isolate rope strands to allow one person to rappel while another is getting on the rappel, or allow rappellers the option of using a single or a double rope. It is also used in basketmaking.

Symbolic use

* In

heraldry Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, Imperial, royal and noble ranks, rank and genealo ...

, this knot is known as

Savoy knot The Savoy knot, a type of decorative knot, is a heraldic knot used primarily in Italian heraldry. It is most notable for its appearance on the heraldic badge of the House of Savoy, where it is accompanied by the motto ''Stringe ma non costringe'' ...

. * In the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

, a figure-of-eight badge was formerly worn by enlisted men who had successfully completed the apprentice rating. * In

The Scout Association The Scout Association is the largest organisation in the Scout Movement in the Scouting in the United Kingdom, United Kingdom. Following the rapid development of the Scouting, Scout Movement from 1907, The Scout Association was formed in 1910 ...

in the United Kingdom, awards for gallantry and long service are represented by a cloth figure-of-eight knot emblem in various colours.

Different types

Figure-eight loop

Figure-eight bend

Offset figure-eight bend

Stein knot

Symbolic use

See also

References

Further reading